Photo courtesy of USA Water Polo.
The United States Olympic Men’s Water Polo Team is having a rough start to their performance in Rio, but is looking to bounce back. Long Beach fans certainly have a close connection to the group as team captain, five-time Olympian, Long Beach resident and Wilson Classical High School alumnus Tony Azevedo is a key player in helping bring the US squad to victory.
Croatia defeated the US 7-5 in the first round. Azevedo was the first to score in the first quarter of the match, and also landed a “bounce shot” three minutes into the third quarter, according to NBC Olympics’ recap.
Azevedo’s two goals, and three individual shots made by Alex Roelse, Alex Bowen and Bret Bonanni made up the still-impressive five-goal conclusion, as “Croatia’s offense flourished in the second half” earning the coastal city’s team a seven-goal result.
Monday’s match against Spain was a defensive battle, according to the recap, with Bowen throwing in three successful shots, Bonanni four, and Luca Cupido and Azevedo each making one.
Azevedo told the Post before taking off for Rio that he was hungry for gold. The US will try to redeem themselves during Wednesday morning’s match against France.
To watch the match live, visit the website here.