Australia have produced a remarkable performance to upset World Champions and world No.1 Spain and reach the semi-finals of the Men's Water Polo World Cup in Sydney.
The world No.9-ranked Australia trailed at every break at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Thursday evening but clawed their way back late to level the match at 18-18 after Matthew Byrnes scored with 1.1 seconds remaining, and force a penalty shootout.
Australia won the shootout 5-3, with goalkeeper Laurence Barker making a terrific save low and to his left on Spain's Fran Valera to give the Sharks the edge.
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Australian wing and player of the match Jacob Mercep said it was an amazing contest against a great Spanish side.
"They had us in the first half. We were able to come back. We were kind of like manifesting these semi-finals. We've been talking about it all winter," he said.
"When it mattered the most, we've showed that we belong here."
Aussie Sharks Captain Nathan Power was delighted with the win.
"Some of the big highlights for me would be that Jacob Mercep absolutely stood up - all those goals he was scoring were so incredibly important in swinging the momentum for us," he said.
"You look at someone like Marcus (Berehulak) who has a bloody eye, has to go off and get treated, comes back taped up like a State of Origin player and stands up and performs, scoring crucial goals at the end.
"Finally, the five boys taking penalties - they're some of the young boys that really stepped up in a massive, massive moment. It was just incredibly cool to witness."
Mercep had earlier scored with one minute and 21 seconds remaining to make it 17-16, but Bernat Sanahuja notched his sixth goal of the match on the following possession to push Spain back out to a two-goal buffer.
Byrnes scored for Australia to again make it a one-goal game and after Spain played the clock at the other end and failed to take a shot, Marcus Berehulak scored for the Sharks to make it 18-18.
A VAR review chalked the goal off, giving Australia the ball with 7.9 seconds remaining, and one goal to score.
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Byrnes obliged, squeezing a shot from a tight angle under the arm of Unai Aguirre to force penalties.
Australia next play Hungary in the semi-finals after they beat Croatia 16-11 on Thursday night.
The Women's Water Polo World Cup, being played alongside the Men's event, continues on Friday with Australia and USA squaring off in the last four, before Russia and Spain play in the other semi-final.
