MADRID, 21 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish men’s water polo team won this Friday by an emphatic 6-27 against South Africa, on the third and final day of the group stage of the World Championship in Fukuoka (Japan), and certified its leadership to advance directly to the quarterfinals, with a prominent role of Fran Valera.
In a game without much history due to the early dominance of the Spanish, Fran Valera’s own scoring debut in a World Cup stood out. The 2-8 score in the first quarter foreshadowed what was going to be the clash, based on a result that at half-time already looked 4-15.
That is why the Spain coach, David Martín, tried to maintain the competitive tension of his pupils, with the quarterfinals on the horizon. In this sense, Martín made group rotations and polished a system well known to the players.
The minutes went by, with no hassles from the South Africans, and Spain finally reached 27 goals, five of them scored by Valera on six shots. A good efficiency that also enjoyed Blai Mallarach, author of four goals in six shots.
With the exception of Felipe Perrone and the goalkeepers Unai Aguirre and Edu Lorrio, the entire Spanish team scored to sharpen their aim for crosses. By virtue of their leadership of Group D, with nine points out of a possible nine, Martín’s pupils avoided the ‘toll’ of eighths. Yes, both Serbia (2nd) and Montenegro (3rd) will have to play that round.