The Greek team has now slipped to third place in Group A and will aim to at least climb back to second place with a victory over Italy (5/8, 16:10) in their final match of the group stage.
Argyropoulos was the one who opened the scoring, but then the Croatians exploited some gaps in the Greek defense and scored three unanswered goals, with Popandic even saving a penalty from Vlachopoulos (at 2-1). A new penalty earned by Kakaris and converted by Yenidounias, along with a goal from Papadanas, allowed the national team to quickly restore balance.
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The second period started with a missed penalty (hit the post) by Zouvela and our internationals significantly raising their defensive performance, with Skoumbakis particularly having “swallowed” the opposing center forwards (Vrljic and Loncar). The national team lost three consecutive attacks with an extra player but eventually found the goal with an excellent collaboration from the two youngest players on the roster (assist from Gillas, goal from Kalogeropoulos up close), before Fundulis took over, scoring 5-3 with an extra player. Harkov interrupted the “blue-white” streak, but in the final seconds of the first half, Nikolidis won an expulsion and Vlachopoulos restored the two-goal difference (6-4).
The momentum of the national team evaporated in less than a minute in the third period: two consecutive goals from Marinic Kragitz and yet another missed penalty (this time from Fundulis, who slipped the ball) brought the match to even. The Croatians found good shots, both from even play and as an extra player, the Greek defense ceased to function, and the situation was completely overturned. The representative team conceded seven goals (!) in the third period and fell behind 11-9.
Croatia now had control, also winning the sprint of the fourth period, and suddenly, for no apparent reason, Biljak punched Argyropoulos in the face and was ejected for violence.
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In the four minutes they played with an extra player, the national team managed to equalize at 12-12, but in the meantime, they lost Argyropoulos, who was expelled with substitution. When the penalty time was over, Harkov scored two goals as an extra player, giving the world champions the lead, which they maintained until the end, despite the reduction in score from Vlachopoulos. The Greek team had a ten-second attack at the end, but the miscommunication between Papadanas and Vlachopoulos prevented any attempts from taking place in a situation of seven against six (Zerdevas had been pushed forward).
The periods: 3-3, 1-3, 7-3, 3-4
The progression of the score: 0-1 Argyropoulos (extra player), 1-1 Fatovic (periphery), 2-1 Jokovic (periphery), 3-1 Loncar (extra player), 3-2 Yenidounias (penalty), 3-3 Papadanas (periphery), 3-4 Kalogeropoulos (center forward), 3-5 Fundulis (extra player), 4-5 Harkov (periphery), 4-6 Vlachopoulos (extra player), 5-6 Marinic Kragitz (periphery), 6-6 Marinic Kragitz (periphery), 6-7 Fundulis (periphery), 7-7 Harkov (extra player), 7-8 Papadanas (extra player), 8-8 Fatovic (periphery), 9-8 Vukicevic (extra player), 9-9 Nikolidis (center forward), 10-9 Bukic (periphery), 11-9 Marinic Kragitz (extra player), 11-10 Argyropoulos (penalty), 12-10 Fatovic (periphery), 12-11 Skoumbakis (extra player), 12-12 Kalogeropoulos (extra player), 13-12 Harkov (extra player), 14-12 Harkov (extra player), 14-13 Vlachopoulos (extra player).
The national team had 7/14 with an extra player, 2/4 penalties, 2 goals from the periphery, and 2 from center forward.
Croatia had 6/13 with an extra player, 0/1 penalty, and 8 goals from the periphery.
Referees: Poutnikovic (Serbia), Gomez (Spain)
The compositions:
CROATIA (Ivica Tutak): Bigas, Buric, Fatovic 3, Loncar 1, Jokovic 1, Bukic 1, Vukicevic 1, Zouvela, Marinic Kragitz 3, Vrljic, Biljak, Harkov 4, Popandic
GREECE (Theodoros Vlahos): Zerdevas, Yenidounias 1, Skoumbakis 1, Kalogeropoulos 2, Fundulis 2, Papadanas 2, Gillas, Argyropoulos 2, Papankolaou, Kakaris, Nikolidis 1, Vlachopoulos 2, Georgiatos
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