Brazil pulled off an incredible comeback victory against Canada, winning 19-18 (7-8 in the penalty shootout) in a dramatic clash at the World Aquatics Championships.

“It was a very balanced game. We got neutralised by Canada at the beginning, they read our game at the start, so they got a good start. But we didn’t give up, we got back in the game, we got even at the end. In the last play, we put our goalie out and we played a man up to get a chance to score and we did it,” said Brazil head coach Thiago Nascimento.

“In the penalty shoot-out, our goalie was really happy, and so were our shooters, and we got the win.”

Having trailed 2-6 in the opening period, Brazil clawed their way back through resilience and determination.

“I’m really proud of my players for not giving up even though we had a bad start. We need to start more focused going forward, so we don’t suffer in the end. And never give up. This is the first time we’re finishing second in the group stage in our existence as a water polo team. We’re here to learn, to evolve and to close the gap between us and the European teams at the top level,” added Nascimento.

Lucas Andrade, named Player of the Match, shared the significance of this result for Brazil’s long-term ambitions. “It was a difficult game. When we lost the first penalty, we kept calm. (I’m) Very happy with the result. We’re building for the Olympics (in 2028), so we’re very happy with this. We’re setting a goal much bigger and for us, this was very important for our Olympic cycle.”

He also praised Brazil’s experienced goalkeeper Joao Pedro Fernandes. “He’s a very important player for our team. We’re learning a lot from him – his experience, everything he learnt in Europe (playing in Hungary).”

For Canada, assistant coach Gyula Ferenc Toth acknowledged the lessons his new squad will take forward. “It was good. We are a new team, we’re playing together for the first time, we did get a little bit comfortable with the lead, and I think step by step, they got the better of the craziness, a lot of craziness.”

On the physical nature of the contest, Toth added. “Water polo, it’s a physical game, you have to be tough. They played tough, but it was not like cheap shots, they just played hard. It was not aggressive. It was intense, I call it an intense game.”

Results:
CAN 18-19 BRA (PSO 7-8)
AUS 11-12 JPN
CHN 8-13 MNE
ITA 28-4 RSA
SRB 19-9 ROU
GRE 9-10 CRO
SGP 6-26 USA
ESP 10-9 HUN