The Netherlands shocked the US 9-8 in the gold medal match in women’s water polo. Danielle de Bruijn scored seven goals, including the game-winner with 26 seconds remaining.
The Americans came to Beijing ranked No. 1 in the world and looked like they might get the gold medal that eluded them in Sydney (silver) and Athens (bronze).
But they could not stop de Bruijn. She scored the first two goals of the game — the Dutch led 4-0 before the US could blink — and added two more right after halftime to give her country a 7-5 lead.
PHOTO: AP
She also scored the last two, both on power plays.
The Americans had several chances to tie it up in the waning seconds, but Elsie Windes missed an outside shot and teammate Brenda Villa could not put home the rebound.
Earlier goalkeeper Emma Knox blocked Rita Dravucz’s final penalty shot in a shootout to give Australia a 12-11 victory over Hungary in the bronze medal match.
Dravucz could have sent the game into another set of penalty shots, but Knox lunged right and blocked her shot over the net.
Dravucz sat on the edge of the pool with tears rolling down her cheeks as she was consoled by teammates.
Australian coach Greg McFadden jumped into the pool and celebrated with his players.
It was the second women’s water polo medal for Australia in three Olympic Games. The team won gold in 2000 in Sydney.
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