Those of David Martín fall before Hungary and suffer the same outcome of the previous European
MADRID, 26 (SportsFinding)
The Spanish men's water polo team could not (9-9 and 14-13 on penalties) with Hungary this Sunday in the final of the 2020 European Championship held at the Duna Arena in Budapest, title that the host stayed to prevent the first gold from Spain in another cruel outcome for those of David Martín.
After falling two years ago in Barcelona on penalties against Serbia, Spain again came out cross in search of the first continental title when the fifth penalty of Alvaro Granados was stopped by an unprecedented Soma Vogel until that moment. David Martin's had been in tow in the third and fourth quarter, key moments in which Hungary was never below the scoreboard.
Pressing until the last possession Spain could knock down Hungary, the most successful of the tournament, at home, but that luck was magic. The hostess recovers the throne she last held in 1999, in her 13th European, while the reality of the resurgence of the Spanish male water polo, which could not emulate the female in Budapest, accumulates more accounts to settle at the Olympic Games next summer in Tokyo
It is not as it begins without a doubt, but the final started well for Spain: López Pinedo throwing the bolt with four stops, defending the good level of the tournament and enough effectiveness for 1-3. It cost the Spaniards to take advantage of that good work back, with Nagy also stops, but Alberto Munarriz loaded the artillery.
The direct game of the Hungarians helped the hostess to cut at the start of the second set and the improvement of her defense dried up Spain. López Pinedo's stops helped minimize eight minutes without scoring from Spain, including a penalty from Álvaro Granados, to leave a 4-3 that changed the script with the final open.
A whiplash by Blai Mallarach cut the drought at the beginning of the third quarter, but Spain continued to forgive many attacks. When the bad streak weighed the most, Marc Larumbe threw class at 5-5 and López Pinedo shone again to endure the Magy initiative with one up (6-5). Perrone didn't have his day, but he appeared on time, like the rest of the national team to win the last quarter.
Granados put the tie and a steal in defense gave Blai Mallarach the last possession to win the final over the horn. Nagy avoided it and on penalties, neither he nor López Pinedo managed to guess any throw. The game of changes in the goal smiled at Hungary and Vogel frustrated a Spain that once again hung a bitter silver and another final, also with that of the last World Cup, without glory.
DATA SHEET.
– RESULT: HUNGARY, 9 – SPAIN, 9. (14-13, on penalties)
–EQUIPMENT.
HUNGARY: Nagy (p), Vogel (p); Angyal (1), Manhercz (2), Zalanki (2), Vamos (1), Hosnyanszky, Pohl, Jansik, Erdelyi, Varga (2), Mezei, Harai (1).
SPAIN: López Pinedo (p), Lorrio (p); Munárriz (3), Granados (1), Sanahuja, De Toro, Larumbe (1), Delgado, Fernández, Tahull (1), Perrone (1), Mallarach (2), Busts.
– PARTIALS: 1-3, 3-0, 2-2, 3-4 and 5-4 on penalties.
– ARBITRATORS: Margeta (SLO) and Stavridis (GRE).
– PAVILION: Budapest Sand Dune.