On Sunday, Serbia did what only three men’s water polo teams have done in Olympic history.
With a 13-11 win over Croatia, Serbia won its third straight Olympic gold medal.
Even though they came to this year’s Olympics as the two-time defending champs, Serbia was not expected to get back to the top in Paris. Since Tokyo they finished ninth and eighth at two world championship. Their previous coach left, and Dusan Mandic – the team’s leading goal scorer in Paris – was briefly kicked off the team.
Even in pool play Serbia did not look like the best team in Paris, but they got hot at the right time. They started the tournament playoffs with a 12-11 win over Greece that was won on a buzzer beater, and followed with a 10-6 win over the U.S. in the semifinals to advance to the gold medal game.
This is the sixth men's water polo gold medal all-time for Serbia, and 14th Olympic medal.
Sunday’s was the seventh meeting between Croatia and Serbia in the last eight Olympics. Croatia was the last team before Serbia to win Olympic gold.
On Sunday, Serbia scored three unanswered goals in the final 90 seconds of the first quarter to take a 5-2 lead into the second.
Croatia never got closer than two the rest of the way. Less than a minute into the fourth, Josip Vrlic scored to cut the lead to 11-9. Over their next six possessions, Croatians had four shots blocked and turned it over once.
Croatia finally scored on an extra player goal by Konstantin Kharkov. On the other end of the pool the next possession, Serbia’s Milos Cuk scored goal to go back up by three with 37 seconds left. Cuk'scooper goal sealed the win.
Cuk led Serbia with three goals. Nikola Dedovic and Nikola Jaksic added two each.
Croatia was led by Jerko Marinic Kragic who had three goals.
This is the third silver medal all time for Croatia, and fourth ever Olympic men’s water polo medal.