MADRID, 28 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s water polo coach, Miki Oca, lamented the elimination in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Hungary – at the hands of the United States (13-8) – and assured that the level of the team at the moment is “from fifth to eighth” classified.
“They have started with a very strong start, but we have had the capacity to respond and play one on one in the first two quarters”, analyzed Oca after getting ahead on the scoreboard with 4-5 against his ‘black beast’ . Spain has lost in its last 14 meetings with the Americans.
“In the third half they scored a lot and against the USA, if you want to win, you have to go to a shorter marker. The United States is a team that closes the buoys a lot, they have a great zone defense and a great goalkeeper. found our goal and they have opened the hole”, he valued in statements provided by the RFEN.
“Right now our level is to play from fifth to eighth and what we have is fifth place. We have to fight for it to the death. There are great teams in this World Cup, apart from the United States, like Greece, Italy, Hungary, Holland… . and we have to face things with realism and humility,” he concluded.
For her part, the player Pili Peña lamented the elimination in the quarterfinals. “The United States has played very well. We have created a lot of play but we have not been successful in front of the goal. We have given everything and at no time have we lost hope, but it has not been possible”, she indicated.
“You have to finish as well as possible,” he said in relation to fifth place, but “it’s not easy at all.” “We know that it is important to have a good championship finish. This has to help us grow for future championships,” Peña concluded.