Russia and China made dominant statements as they qualified for the World Aquatics Women’s World Cup Finals in Sydney, Australia this July. Russia thumped Canada 24-6 and China threw out Croatia 23-11 in the respective qualifying semifinals.
Russia and China have stamped themselves as the pre-eminent teams in Malta, going through unbeaten with large margins.
It marks a triumphal return for Russia to the world stage after a long suspension period. For China, it’s a return to the level of the 2010s when it appeared on podiums.
For the rest of the teams it is a case of positioning themselves for world rankings and taking those experiences home to work on for next year.
Russia earned the high scores with speed and cross passes. Russia has perfected the cross passing as most of the goals were finished this way, whether on extra, action or counter.
It was not until 4:33 that the first Russian goal was scored and two more came within the minute. Canada responded on extra to Isabella Mady. Mariia Makarova scored twice for 5-1 at the first break.
Bella Markoch scored a hat-trick to start the second quarter as Russia fled to 10-1. Emma Lawson broke the seven-goal surge on extra. Mady pounced on a rebound in front of goal for 11-3.
Anastasiia Adikova scored the last three Russian goals before the halftime break. Captain Ekaterina Prokofyeva led a four-goal charge for 17-3; Canada had a penalty attempt saved; Makarova scored twice more for 19-3.
Canadian captain Emma Wright backhanded from two metres for 19-4 and Markoch netted her fourth with the third Russian lob goal. Wright scored her second for 20-6 in the fourth before Russia scored the last four.
China proved that it is up to its form, improving every match and now qualified for Sydney, where it should give up a strong showing.
In fact, the qualified teams from Division I will need to keep a close eye on Russia and China as they world class and eager to get back to the semifinals.
The semifinal was interesting in the first quarter, finishing 3-3 after Croatia led twice. This became 4-4 before a three-goal haul took China to 7-4.
Iva Rozic had her penalty attempt saved and China applied the afterburners with six unanswered goals for 13-4 at halftime.
Yan Siya scored four goals in the period. She started the third with a pair on extra; Yan Jing backhanded at two metres and Nong Sanfeng made it 17-4 from what was now a telling outside-shot invasion.
Karla Ruzic responded with her own nine-metre salvo. Ria Glas converted extra from the deep left and China replied for 19-6 at the final break.
The match progressed to 22-7 and a Croatian timeout worked wonders with Neli Jankovic converting off a cross pass and a minute later, Rozic backhanded at two metres and Ria Glas scored the last two after a Chinese penalty attempt was thwarted.
