Adrian Weinberg made 16 saves in regulation and denied Vince Vigvári in the penalty shootout, helping the United States beat Hungary 11-8 on Sunday for the bronze medal. men’s water polo to the Paris Olympic Games.
It is the first medal for the U.S. men’s team since the team lost to Hungary in the final of the 2008 Olympics. The United States also won bronze the last time Paris hosted the Summer Games in 1924.
Ben Hallock scored twice for the United States, who bounced back from a semifinal loss to Serbia.
Luca Bruno / AP
Gergo Zalanki and Denes Varga each scored two goals for Hungary, the winningest men’s water polo program in history. Hungary won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Games.
Hungary opened the score at 8-6 thanks to Daniel Angyal’s goal with 3:22 left. But the United States responded with power-play goals from Alex Bowen and Hannes Daube.
Daube, Max Irving and Bowen converted their chances in the penalty shootout, and Hungary were shut out in the tie-break. Varga hit the net before Vigvári was denied by Weinberg. When Gergo Zalanki hit the net again, the match was over.
Luca Bruno / AP
As the American coaches and players celebrated enthusiastically – on the sidelines and in the pool – Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” played over the speakers in the Salle de la Défense in Paris. U.S. coach Dejan Udovicic waved his arms in the air to rouse the American fans in the crowd.
