I wasn’t able to watch the U.S. vs. Japan game. How did Kai Takeshi Inoue look for Japan? How will his game translate to the American college game?
Inoue played well. He shot 3/3 (2 in extra player situations). I didn’t notice him positively or negatively on defense and he is clearly not the primary option or ball handler for Japan, so it’s hard to know off the one game where he is in passing and game sense etc. However, in the times I noticed him offensively he was always in the right position. Like most of the Japanese team, he certainly wasn’t a slouch when it came to swimming. He has a strong shot and should be a contributing lefty on any D1.
Looking like Spain/Montenegro is the probable match up in the crossover and USA will play the winner of that game in the QFs. Spain looks to have brought most of their starters to this tournament.
I thought the same about center play today. Looked like Romania was running an M drop then realized they didn’t need to and went to strong side zone/some sort of press. Nonetheless, I think most of the goals we’ve scored these last two games from set have been non-centers! I will say the centers have been doing a good job getting exclusions - even if the refs swallowed their whistles at least three times in the first half.
However, what really seems to be at issue is a (understandable) lack of chemistry and the new dimensions. Chase seemed like he was forcing it a bit early on and Max was a “postman”! But they found their groove in the second half.
As an East Coaster, it was exciting to see Ryan do his thing! The young guys (maybe inspired by Ryder) are playing well and taking advantage of the opportunity.
Also, our lefties have been a bit hamstrung; Max is (deservedly) the Captain and has shown why he started at the 4. But that leaves precious little time to get in the flow when they are in there.
Finally, if that was a brutality I don’t know what one is any more!
So I am looking at the FINA rules, and there appears to not be a “Brutality” foul. There are exclusion fouls for misconduct ( “including the use of unacceptable language, aggressive play, refusing obedience to or
showing disrespect for a referee or official, or behaviour against the spirit of the Rules and likely to bring the game into disrepute”); and for violent action (“ncluding kicking, striking, or attempting to kick or strike with malicious intent an opponent or official”). Misconduct results in a game exclusion with immediate substitution. Violent Action results in a game exclusion, a 4 minute period when the offender’s team plays with no substitute, AND a penalty throw. (But no penalty throw if the violent action was during interval time or a game stoppage.)
Since neither of the red cards/game exclusions in today’s US-Romania game (one for the US against Oprea, another against Romania in the 4th) resulted in a penalty throw or the four-minute man down period, I conclude that both were called as misconduct, not violent action.
Presumably the referees concluded–after video review–that both players were guilty of “aggressive play” or “behavior against the spirit of the Rules” or “likely to bring the game into disrepute” rather than “violent action”.
FWIW, upon further digging, the word “brutality” does occur in two places in the rules, both relating to what the game secretary should record. My guess is these are vestigial appendages from when the rules defined brutality, but I am just guessing.
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Good to know @Mepolo! It’s amazing that we watch these games with decades of experience and STILL not know 100% exactly what’s going on!
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here are the game stats. Looks like he went 3/3 for shooting
You can watch all the games free with a VPN on eurovision sport web, I just watched SRB - MNE using France as location.
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So it looks like the US will get the winner of the Montenegro-France game in the quarter final on Friday. Montenegro looked very good today against Serbia until they let them back in the game in the 4th quarter.
FWIW, at the end of today’s Serbia-Spain game, a Spanish player was assessed a “violent action” foul after a lengthy VAR review. What I saw was two kicks as a Serbian player trailed Spanish player just after a turnover. The first of which might have been incidental, the other was clearly intentional. There was a penalty shot and Spain played man down until the game ended.
I think that was a first in the tournament. All of the red carded players seem to have been assessed misconduct. Given how the referees are using VAR in these situations, I’d say they’ve been given instructions to use VAR whenever there is any question of misconduct or violence,
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We will be playing against Montenegro tomorrow. I haven’t watched Montenegro play this tournament but the stats from the last few games look like they score a lot of goals and give up a good amount of goals per game. Going to be a tough one for this USA group!
I was reading that the top 6 teams in division 1 play advance to the super final tournament in several months, does anyone know how that works? I didn’t see any classification matches on the schedule for the QF losers.
I watched Montenegro’s games with France today, and with Serbia yesterday. Those are two of the weaker teams in this field. I think the US has more talent, but I think Montenegro plays strong defense and may be able to take advantage of the younger US players. I predict a pretty good game and a US win, but would not be overly surprised by either a US blow out or a Montenegrin win in a close, physical game.
I noticed that Casabella is playing for Spain. Any other notable NCAA internationals playing outside of US team?
This goes back a ways, but Genidounias is playing very well for Greece.
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No Erhardt today for the US according to the stream. That’s a blow at center defense for the young squad.
Can’t find the stream details, can someone please post the link, thank you 
This is a link to the WA streaming. You have to register and pay for the stream.
First quarter was a struggle for the US. There was no center presence on most possessions and the Montenegrins were pressing and really inhibiting ball movement. The only goal came on the extra man.
Also, one of the young players took a late shot that directly resulted in a 2 on 1 goal so that type of error hurts too.
Down 5-1 after 1. The lack of experience and center play is showing. I believe this is the same Montenegro roster from the Olympics though which our “A” team demolished!
This US team is too used to being the star on their respective college sides and aren’t passing or jelling at all.