The Georgian national water polo team will play at the final stage of European Championship for the first time in its independent history. The team of Vladimer Iselidze beat Turkey 17:16 in qualifying play off.
The Georgian water polo players arrived in Istanbul with 4-goal advantage (8:4). At the beginning of the match our team advanced by the goals of Marko Jelaca and Marino Franicevic. The hosts minimized the score at the 5th minute. Jelaca restored the balance but Turkey managed to score goal and the first period finished 2:3.
The hosts advanced in the second period but in the last thee minutes Revaz Chomakhidze and Marko Jelaca equalized the score twice and 8 seconds before the final siren Marko Elez advanced Georgia – 6:5.
In the third quarter the hosts used numerical advantage and were winning the match. The last half minute turned dramatic – the Georgian team was losing 7:8 when Turkey scored another goal and the third quarter finished 9:7 in the favor of Turkey.
Turkey needed to win the match with 4 goals but finally, the match ended up 12:9.
The coaching staff of the Georgian team celebrated going through European Championship in the swimming pool with the water polo players.
Georgia: Zurab Chumburidze (goalkeeper), Giorgi Khvedeliani, Damir Crepulja, Marko Elez (2 goals), Galaktion Laitadze, Marko Jelaca (5), Revaz Chomakhidze
Head coach: Vladimer Iselidze
Coach: Jovan Popovic
European Championship 2014 will take place in Budapest, Hungary, on July 14-27.
After the play off matches, Spain, Croatia and France also made through to the final. Romania and Russia are also close to the goal. They won the first matches over Great Britain (18:7) and Holland (11:9).
Otar Maglakelidze
