BUT for the hardiness of Italy’s seven roses, it might have been the upset of the Games — a Greece women’s water polo team, competing in Athens by virtue of being hosts, missed the Olympic crown by only one goal last night.
In a battle between the daughters of ancient empires, the Sette Rose — sadly so called, not for their beauty, but as a balance to male counterparts long known as the Sette Bello — pricked Greek pride 10-9 in extra time. It spoilt a partisan party in the pool that was supposed to have ended in a Euro 2004 style result and even Costas Karamanlis, the Prime Minister, took up the offer of one of the hottest tickets in town.
He left resembling a beaten man on election night and failed to clap for the victors when the foot-stomping stopped. Understandable though his depression was, the Greece players deserved to celebrate the silver medal. Where Italy have twice been world champions in the past three tournaments and had won 32 of their 44 matches on the road to Athens, Greece’s best world standing had been ninth and they had won only four of their 44 matches before these Games.
At the end of the first quarter, Greece led 3-2. Time for an official chorus of Zorba the Greek to keep members of the crowd on their toes. Nothing unbiased in that then, although the one Italian voice that could be heard above the roar of “Hellas” was a diminutive chap with a megaphone who appeared to disappear shortly into the second period but was let out again to chant once more during the medal ceremony.
While the second quarter was marked by riotous foot-stomping and six more goals that ended with Greece retaining their lead at 6-5, there was just the one scorer in the third period — and what a scorer she was. Giusy Malato, the centre forward and the largest fish in the pond, has the gait of a girl whom a boy may think twice about trying to kiss.
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Four minutes into the third quarter, Malato thumped the ball to the back of the net with a force that stunned the Greeks into momentary silence.
A 7-7 score, with Kyriaki Liosi, of Greece, scoring five goals, put the game into a thrilling extra time that produced five goals in as many minutes, the decisive one placed by Melania Grego two minutes from time. Some suggested that the semi-final match that ended 6-5 in Italy’s favour over the United States, the world champions, was the real final. That seemed unfair to Greece, given the grit with which they fought last night. The US were rewarded with the bronze medal after a 6-5 play-off win over Australia, the 2000 champions.