The match between Colombia and German provided a stark contrast in strategies. The German team, collectively more than 10 percent larger in terms of length and weight, wanted to play a battle on the bottom, using rhythm and speed to punch through. This approach was no doubt correct but the Colombian women, who could not rip or wrestle the balls away in one-on-one play, had a strategy of their own.
Every time they clamped onto a German player another would close in so that German player ended up floating to the surface. At times some of the Colombian players would attach themselves to the balls and curl up in a protective fetal position. It was impossible for the German players to pass or score with such large remora on the balls. Worse the Colombian player had no interest in symbiosis. As soon as two came into the picture there was battle.
The Colombians could easily have been down 3 – 0 at the half but their goalies were very quick to seal the basket.
“They have a lot of air,” said the husband of one of the German players.
Conditioning is a vital advantage in underwater rugby. The Colombians were on the defensive much of the game. Sometimes when attacks were mounted and the goalie were in danger of being lifted off, their teammates usually the backs and or other goalie would push them down on the rim.
Germany was the stronger team but it looked as if the Colombians might pull off a long shot victory by doing approximately the same as the Japanese women did to the Americans in the World Cup. It was not to be though, as the Colombians had too few break away threats to catch the German 2 goal lead.
The other teams will have to adjust themselves to beat Colombia. Germany are after all the defending Champions, so this was not a surprize result.