Tamas Varga of Hungary shoots. (Photo credit: Xinhua)
(BEIJING, August 24) -- Hungary beat the United States 14-10 to win gold and create its own slice of history at the Yingdong Natatorium on August 24.
It was the first time a country had won three consecutive Olympic titles in Water Polo and Hungary's ninth crown in all.
It is the third time six players have visited the top of the podium -- Tamas Kasas, Zoltan Szecsi, Tamas Molnar, Peter Biros, Gergely Kiss and captain Tibor Benedek. Their coach Denes Kemeny has also been with the team for the past three gold.
The game started at a crazy pace with the US team jumping to a 2-1 lead before Hungary scored two late goals for a 6-4 lead at the first break.
The second period slowed a little, with Team USA captain Tony Azevedo twice leveling the scores with his third and fourth goals of the game.
Biros received a pass on a short drive to score his third and give Hungary a 9-8 lead on the half-time horn, but he limped from the pool to receive treatment on his left leg and had to sit out the second half.
Layne Beaubien leveled the scores for the United States early in the third quarter but Hungary had an 11-9 lead going into the final period.
The final quarter was all Hungary until US player Jesse Smith drilled a shot with one minute 23 seconds remaining, but by then Hungary had already clinched the gold.
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