European Polo Championship: Victory against Montenegro & 5th place for Greek National Team
The team of Thodoris Vlachos prevailed 15-10 and took fifth place in the final ranking, which of course does not meet the capabilities and expectations of the internationals.
Although the "blue and white" played without Angelos Vlachopoulos, the national team played its best eight minutes in the tournament and closed the first period before 6-2. During this time, the Greek team did not win a single sending-off (except for a penalty), but scored three times on the counter and generally had complete control of the match. Without maintaining the same dominant image, the representative group kept a safety lead until halftime (8-5).
The third period started with a missed penalty for each team (Mrsic hit the post, Tesanovic saved Argyropoulos' shot), before Genidounias scored with a superb lob. But then the Montenegrins were better, they reduced to 9-7 with two goals from Averkas in the above, and while in between they lost very good opportunities. At the start of the last eight minutes, Perkovic took advantage of one more suspension and reduced the score to a goal (9-8), but two consecutive goals by Argyropoulos and Gila from the periphery gave the national team "breathing space", which from then on was not in danger.
The eight minutes: 6-2, 2-3, 1-2, 6-3
The evolution of the score: 1-0 Genidounias (penalty), 2-0 Genidounias (against), 3-0 Argyropoulos (against), 3-1 Tz. Radovits (p.p.), 4-1 Nikolaidis (fouler), 5-1 Gillas (counter), 5-2 Ukropina (penalty), 6-2 Kalogeropoulos (region), 6-3 Ukropina (penalty), 7- 3 Genidounias (p.p.), 7-4 Brgulian (region), 8-4 Gillas (region), 8-5 Mrcic (p.p.), 9-5 Genidounias (region), 9-6 Averka (p. .p.), 9-7 Averka (p.p.), 9-8 Perkovic (p.p.), 10-8 Argyropoulos (region), 11-8 Gillas (region), 11-9 Vas. Radovic ( p.p.), 12-9 Nicolaidis (Fundaristos), 13-9 Skoubakis (p.p.), 13-10 Msits (p.p.), 14-10 Kakaris (p.p.), 15-10 Kalogeropoulos (p.p.).
The national team had 4/6 with a player over, 1/2 penalty, 5 goals from the perimeter, 2 from the striker position and 3 on the counter.
Montenegro had 7/9 with a man over, 2/3 penalties and 1 goal from the perimeter.
Skoumbakis was sent off with three penalties, 2΄21΄΄ before the end of the match.
Referees: Kovacs-Czatlos (Hungary), Segurana (Spain)
GREECE (Thodoris Vlachos): Zerdevas, Genidounias 4, Skoubakis 1, Kalogeropoulos 2, Fundoulis, Papanastasiou, Dervisis, Argyropoulos 2, Alafragis, Kakaris 1, Nikolaidis 2, Gillas 3, Tjortzatos
MONTENEGRO (Vladimir Gojkovic): Lazovic, Brgulian 1, Perkovic 1, Averka 2, Macic, Popadic, Mrcic 2, Dz. Radovic 1, Ukropina 2, Vujovic, Matkovic, Vas. Radovic 1, Tesanovic
** Angelos Vlachopoulos and Kostas Giuvetsis were left out of the Greek 13-team squad.
The next goal of the Greek National Team is the World Championships in Doha, which start in less than 3 weeks, while in the summer there is the big date of the Olympic Games.
