Hungary beat US in final

Waterpolo powerhouse Hungary battled to a thrilling 14-10 victory over the United States yesterday to win their third successive Olympic gold medal. In an entertaining match, Hungary had their sternest test in years against a US team searching for a...

Waterpolo powerhouse Hungary battled to a thrilling 14-10 victory over the United States yesterday to win their third successive Olympic gold medal.

In an entertaining match, Hungary had their sternest test in years against a US team searching for a fairytale end to their best Olympic competition since 1988 in Seoul.

Playing in a pressure-cooker atmosphere at the Yingdong Natatorium, the two teams were almost inseparable until the final quarter.

Tied at 9-9 at the end of the first half, Hungary came out fighting in the third period and edged ahead through Tamas Molnar.

The United States spurned a string of opportunities, with shots cannoning against the woodwork and going wide of target.

Hungary showed their class with swift counter attacking and a solid defence before Daniel Rudolf Varga blasted home two superbly-taken goals to put the match beyond the United States.

Rankings: 1. Hungary; 2. US; 3. Serbia; 4. Montenegro; 5. Spain; 6. Croatia; 7. Greece; 8. Australia; 9. Italy; 10. Germany.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.