MADRID, 4 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s water polo team will close its group stage of the Paris Olympic Games tournament this Sunday (3:35 p.m.) with a low-stakes match against a depressed Italy, against which it hopes to fine-tune its preparation for the moment of truth in the Parisian pool.
Water polo is one of the team sports that is getting off to the best start and both the men’s team and Miki Oca’s team have secured their place in the play-offs and the lead in their respective groups thanks to their full record of victories.
In the case of the women’s team, they have done so quite successfully with great performances such as against the all-powerful United States, a key match that has allowed them to take first place, which will theoretically allow them a more affordable match in the quarter-finals against Canada.
The current European runners-up has had time to regain strength and recharge their batteries for the decisive stretch of the championship. In fact, they will return to the pool after beating the always demanding Greece by 10-8 on July 31, so the Spaniards arrive rested for this duel against an Italy that has something more at stake since a victory would give them the option of finishing third.
In this sense, the Italian team, which has just won a ‘final’ against Greece to stay alive in Paris 2024 and which has been below its level with a clear defeat against the United States (10-3) and an unexpected defeat against France (9-8), will serve as a good tune-up for a Spanish team, which in the last European Championship in January clearly won by 14-8.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
ITALY: Condorelli (p), Banchelli (p), Tabani, Galardi, Avegno, Giustini, Bettini, Picozzi, Bianconi, Palmieri, Marletta, Coachman and Viacava.
SPAIN: Terré (p), Ester (p); Espar, Ruiz, Peña, Forca, Maica García Leitón, Piralkova, Ortiz, Pérez, Crespí and Camus.
–POOL: Aquatic Center.