The Greek women’s water polo team’s return to the Olympics after 16 years did not yield a favorable outcome. The athletes, under the guidance of Alexia Kammenou, appeared emotional during the national anthem and entered the match visibly anxious, paying the price with a heavy defeat against what is currently considered the top team in the world.

The game began strongly for the USA, who were quite effective with their power-play attacks, while Greece struggled to find solutions on offense. The first quarter ended with a 3-0 lead for the USA, with their goalkeeper, Ashley Johnson (who has played for Ethnikos and Vouliagmeni), in excellent form.

The second period continued in the same vein as the first. The USA maintained momentum with excellent defense and effective shooting. A telling example of the USA’s strong performance was Greece scoring its first goal 16 minutes into the match, making it 1-7. The first half ended with the USA leading by seven goals (2-9), making the outcome seem largely settled.

In the third quarter, the attacks were less effective, but the gold medalists from Tokyo managed to extend their lead. Greece reduced the deficit to 4-12 by the end of the period. The final quarter mirrored the previous play, with the USA reaching a +10 lead in the final minutes of the match, while Greece managed to reduce the gap to nine goals, ending the game with a final score of 15-6 in favor of the USA.

Present at the match was the First Lady of the USA, Jill Biden, who celebrated the big win of their national team alongside renowned rapper Flavor Flav.

The American musician has recently taken on the role of principal sponsor of the USA women’s water polo team. This sponsorship came after he learned that the athletes of the team, who have won three consecutive Olympic gold medals, were having to work outside of sports to make a living.