USA Men Beat Japan 18-5 In Doha

Doha, Qatar - February 7 - The USA Men's National Team beat Japan 18-5 today at the 2024 World Aquatics World Championships. Johnny Hooper scored six times for the Americans while team captain Ben Hallock added five scores. Team USA returns to action on Friday when they meet Serbia at 9:30am et/6:30am pt. Live streaming is available via Peacock by clicking here (subscription required) with live stats from Total Water Polo by clicking here. Omega Timing provides official post game stats, access their results by clicking here.

Team USA got off to a good start that fueled them in this contest. Just forty seconds in, Hooper deposited the first goal of the game. Japan answered to level the score at 1-1 before Hannes Daube, Hallock, and Luca Cupido ended the opening quarter with goals to put the United States in front 4-1 after one. In the second, the Americans hunkered down defensively and held Japan without a goal. Midway through the period, Hooper found the back of the net on a counterattack. Daube followed with another score before Max Irving converted a pair of chances to push Team USA ahead 8-1 at halftime.

The United States would leave no doubt in the second half. Hallock rang the register from close range before Hooper gave the Americans double digits on a man-up advantage. Irving and Hallock both scored late while Japan pushed home two in the quarter to leave Team USA up 12-3 after three. It was all window dressing in the fourth but Hooper made sure the United States walked away on top. The attacker took advantage on a power play and counterattack to open the final frame and registered his sixth goal of the day to give the American side its final score. In between, Hallock pushed his total to five and Dylan Woodhead got in on the action. Japan scored twice in the final four minutes and Team USA claimed the 18-5 victory.

The United States went 6/7 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties while Japan went 1/4 on power plays and 0/1 on penalties.

Scoring - Scoresheet
USA 18 (4, 4, 4, 6) J. Hooper 6, B. Hallock 5, M. Irving 3, H. Daube 2,  L. Cupido 1, D. Woodhead 1
JPN 5 (1, 0, 2, 2) D. Ogihara 2, S. Adachi 1, T. Watanabe 1, Y. Inaba 1
6x5 - USA - 6/7 - JPN - 1/4
Penalties - USA - 1/1 - JPN 0/1
Saves - USA - D. Holland 9, A. Weinberg 1 - JPN - K. Tanamura 3, T. Nishimura 3