LONDON (AP) -- Filip Filipovic scored three times and gold medal-favorite Serbia rallied from a three-goal halftime deficit to beat Australia 11-8 and advance to the semifinals of men's Olympic water polo.
Australia looked poised to pull off what would have been a massive upset, hitting long distance shots and playing pressure defense that frustrated a powerful Serbia attack for much of the match.
But Serbia's talent eventually overcame Australia's pesky defense, and Filipovic put his team ahead 9-8 with just over four minutes to play and the Serbs held on to reach Friday's semifinals.
Serbia advances to play either three-time defending champion Hungary or 2011 world champion Italy.
