RIO DE JANEIRO -- U.S. womens water polo coach Adam Krikorian shook his head in disgust after an ugly turnover in the third. He put in five new swimmers after China scored in the fourth, and then clapped his hands at his bench as if trying for a late wake-up call.And it hardly mattered. The United States was in complete control right from the start, never in danger of losing to overmatched China. It turns out winning isnt the only thing for the defending world and Olympic champions.Were more concerned with how we play and trying to be as consistent as possible, Krikorian said after the United States 12-4 victory on Thursday. I dont think I saw that in the second half and when you play every other day, theres no reason to rest. Were getting plenty of rest on our off days and we just got to keep it into a high gear there.The United States improved to 36-2 in 2016 with its 18th straight victory, rolling to titles on three continents before beating Spain 11-4 in its Olympic opener on Tuesday. It has scored in double figures 17 times during its win streak, totaling 231 goals overall and outscoring opponents by an average of seven goals.Captain Maggie Steffens dismissed any notion of complacency as the U.S. tries to become the first country to win consecutive Olympic titles in womens water polo.Each game is a gold-medal game, Steffens said. Each game is an opportunity for us to represent the USA, and thats the motivation.Steffens scored three of her four goals as the United States jumped to a 7-1 lead at the break. The team grew more careless with the ball as the game went along, including the third-quarter turnover during a rare 6-on-4 power play that prompted Krikorians exasperated reaction.We had too many turnovers that game, U.S. attacker Kaleigh Gilchrist said. China capitalized on a few, but they could have capitalized on a lot more, and knowing as we go ahead opponents are going to try to look to do that, so we have to tighten a few things up.The United States only two losses so far this year are to Australia, 5-4 on May 26 in California and 5-4 on May 31 in China. The Aussie Stingers lost 8-7 to Italy on Thursday, a potentially costly result that could force them into a semifinal matchup with the United States.Australias Rowie Webster tied it at 7 with 2:37 to go, but Roberta Bianconi had a power-play goal for Italy with 34 seconds remaining.I think the game was won and lost in the extra-man goals that they scored and we potentially missed, Webster said.Australia faces winless Brazil on Saturday on the final day of the preliminary round. Italy, which leads Group A with four points, takes on Russia, Spain plays against China, and the United States faces Hungary. The quarterfinals begin Monday.Italys Giulia Gorlero, splashing the water at times in celebration or frustration, had 10 saves in the victory over the Aussies.Our match is very important for us, Golero said through a translator. But thats not enough. ... Our tournament starts in the quarterfinals.Also Thursday, Ekaterina Prokofyeva and Evgeniya Ivanova scored three goals apiece to lead Russia to a 14-7 win against Brazil, and Judith Forca Ariza scored in the fourth to help Spain hold on for an 11-10 victory over Hungary.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Chris Paul Rockets Jersey . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. PJ Tucker Jersey . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authentic-Chris-Paul-Rockets-Jersey/ . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Charles Barkley Jersey . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. James Harden Jersey . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. LYON, France -- To be one game away from the European Championship final is an achievement for any coach. Even more so for Chris Coleman.The journey to Wednesdays game against Portugal -- the first semifinal in Welsh football history -- has been an arduous one for the 46-year-old Coleman.His playing career prematurely ended following a car crash that he was fortunate to survive, while his first managerial job in the spotlight of the Premier League was terminated just as he was getting going.Five years were spent in the managerial wilderness in lower-league jobs in England, Spain and Greece, between spells of being unemployed.There are a lot of good managers out of work because there only so many jobs, Coleman said Tuesday. Two jobs running if you get it wrong, its hard to get that third one. Thats generally the rule.Many in Colemans position might have given up and pursued an easier life as a television pundit.Coleman, however, had the greatest British manager of them all as a mentor: Alex Ferguson.I was out of work for a year and my next job, which was four years after managing in the Premier League (at Fulham), was in the second division in Greece, Coleman recalled. I went there (to Larissa in 2011) on the advice of Alex Ferguson.He just told me, `Youve been out for a year, dont wait. The next one that comes up, it doesnt matter where it is -- take it. So I did. I took a chance. Its the best thing that happened to me.Coleman regained his confidence, having been fired in 2010 after struggling in the second tier with Coventry.I rethought a lot about myself, Coleman said. I got it wrong at Coventry. I can give you loads of sob stories about my time at Coventry but actually, if Im honest, I could have done better.The answer was typical of Colemans candor, a reflection of the challenges he has faced to reach the Euro 2016 semifinals with his nation.You find out a lot about yourself when you are out of comfortable environment and you are asked difficult questions and you have to find the answers, Coleman said.He faced those kinds of questions early in his Wales career, a job he inherited in tragic circumstances in early 2012 after Gary Speed took his own life.dddddddddddd The lowest ebb on the field came in September 2012 with a 6-1 loss away to Serbia early in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.I had doubts whether I was capable of doing the job after the Serbia game, Coleman recently recalled.When you embarrass the country, as Coleman remembered it, resignation seemed the only option.Coleman stuck at the job and Wales persevered with its coach through a qualifying campaign that produced three wins in 10 matches.It didnt seem to be working, but all of sudden it worked out, Football Association of Wales President David Griffiths said. He changed the philosophy. Everyone was talking about Gary Speed, but Chris has done it his way.Wales was rejuvenated inside two years as Coleman changed the teams mindset.We used to be far too honest, Coleman said at the Stade de Lyon. Anything you need to do to stay in the game, you stay in the game. I call that being street-wise, football-smart.Weve got much better at that in the last couple of years ... sometimes its not very pretty, it can be ugly. People look at it and say its negative.Its been producing positive results.With Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey leading on the pitch, surrounded by many unheralded players, Wales qualified for its first tournament since the 1958 World Cup.The squad unity has shone through in France where Wales stunned Belgium to reach the semifinals.The team spirit is real, Coleman said. It came from the darker days when it wasnt so easy for us.Colemans light touch and confident demeanor, while retaining a steely determination, certainly helps.Damnit, Coleman said, when asked at the Stade de Lyon if he was influenced by Italys three-man defense. Weve been found out!Not yet in the knockout stage.---Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports ' ' '