Finals-bound Sharks cop Japanese reality check
Australia’s Sharks have been upset by Japan in their final pool game but they’ll still surge into the Olympics quarter-finals as second seed after a giant-killing Paris run.
Winless in four games before Monday, Japan came from 4-0 down to pip Australia 14-13, Charlie Negus’s final-second attempt slipping off his fingers and high over the cross-bar at La Defense Arena.
Australia began their campaign with a loss to Spain but then strung three remarkable wins together against European heavyweights Serbia, France and Hungary to seal progression ahead of Monday’s pool finale.
The loss drew Australia level with Hungary at 3-2 and behind on goal difference.
But their victory over last year’s world champions kept them in second place in their pool as they look to go deeper than an Olympics-best fifth achieved in 1984 and 1992.
They’ll play third-place in the alternate pool on Wednesday – Croatia, Greece and USA fighting it out for those positions in group fixtures still to be played on Monday night.
In-form Australian goalkeeper Nic Porter was given a spell at halftime, Japan scoring seven of eight goals either side of the main break to take a surprise lead.
They led by two goals at various stages in the final quarter before Australia levelled courtesy of a Milos Maksimovic backhand and Chaz Poot thunderbolt.
Replacement ‘keeper John Hedges then made a great left-handed save at 13-13 but Australia couldn’t convert at the other end and Seiya Adachi snuck the winner under Hedges’ armpit with 11 seconds to play.
Australia took a timeout and had a look at an equaliser but Negus flew his effort high and wide.
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