Greece def. the United States, 14-5
Greece stormed out of the gate in Monday's final preliminary match victory against the United States, with Dimitri Skoumpakis scoring less than a minute into the match.
The Greeks' aggressive play had them up 4-1 by the end of the first quarter -- and clearly illustrated why the team had yet to lose at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with a record of three wins and one draw.
Greece also secured their passage to the knockout rounds with two games to spare, after a tight 10-9 win over hosts Japan. The top four in each of two six-team groups advance to the knockout stages.
Greece and Italy are joint top of Group A and safe from elimination on five points, since neither Japan or South Africa, who have lost three games each, can get more than four points in their two remaining matches and still have to play each other.
Following their clash with the United States, make that four wins. Greece all but destroyed Team USA, clinching the top Group A spot in the process.
First Quarter_1, Greece, D. Skoumpakis, 7:03. 2, Greece, I. Fountoulis, 4:17. 3, United States, A. Bowen, 3:52 (PP). 4, Greece, K. Genidounias, 2:52. 5, Greece, I. Fountoulis, 1:03.
Second Quarter_6, Greece, A. Vlachopoulos, 4:03 (PS). 7, United States, B. Stevenson, 3:20 (PP). 8, Greece, S. Argyropoulos Kanakakis, 2:45 (PP). 9, United States, A. Obert, 2:24.
Third Quarter_10, United States, M. Irving, 5:55. 11, Greece, K. Genidounias, 5:41 (PS). 12, Greece, K. Genidounias, 4:36. 13, Greece, S. Argyropoulos Kanakakis, 3:47. 14, United States, A. Obert, 2:26. 15, Greece, K. Genidounias, 1:58 (PP). 16, Greece, I. Fountoulis, 0:15.
Fourth Quarter_17, Greece, K. Genidounias, 7:05 (PP). 18, Greece, C. Kolomvos, 5:31. 19, Greece, I. Fountoulis, 3:45 (PP).
Exclusions_Greece 17 (I. Fountoulis 1, M. Kapotsis 1, C. Kolomvos 1, K. Gkiouvetsis 2, S. Argyropoulos Kanakakis 4, G. Dervisis 4, D. Skoumpakis 4); United States 7 (L. Cupido 1, A. Obert 1, J. Smith 1, A. Bowen 2, D. Woodhead 2).
4 Minute Exclusions_Greece None; United States None.
Penalty Fouls_Greece None; United States 2 (A. Obert 1, M. Vavic 1).
Ejections_Greece 3 (S. Argyropoulos Kanakakis, G. Dervisis, D. Skoumpakis); United States None.