Spain seeks gold for the third
Those of David Martín will try to conquer before Hungary their first continental title
MADRID, 25 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish men's water polo team will look for this Sunday, in its third consecutive final and before host Hungary (7:00 p.m. / Teledeporte), to close the Budapest European Championship with what would be its first continental gold, a feat that happens to surprise the combined more laureate of the Old Continent.
Only 24 hours after the end of Miki Oca's against Russia, David Martín's team also faces the final duel in search of the first gold for the men's team. 14 presents shine in their medal, including an Olympic gold (Atlanta 1996) and two World Cups (Perth 1998 and Fukuoka 2001), but they have not yet managed to reign in Europe.
So far, Spain has in its flowery continental record with three bronzes and two silvers, the last one in a dramatic final decided on penalties two years ago, in Barcelona, against Serbia (12-10). Overcoming that disappointment will now be the incentive they will grab.
And it is that the Iberian team expects the third time to go. After what happened in Barcelona, only one year later they fell again in the final, this time of the Gwangju World Cup (South Korea), against Italy (5-10). The lessons learned should serve to face a magical picture looking for its thirteenth gold medal and an audience totally focused on their selection.
The Hungarians, who secured with their victory in the semifinals against Montenegro (10-8) their ticket to Tokyo, are presented as the most successful selection of the continent, with 12 golds, six silver and five European bronzes. In addition, a medal has always been hung up when he has played the European in his country: gold in 1926 and 1958, silver in 2014 and bronze in 2001.
It will also be the reunion of the two undefeated, who already saw the faces in this championship on the second day. On that occasion, they sealed a tie (11-11), and later those of Csaba Matefalvy finished first in Group C ahead of David Martin with a comfortable victory against Malta (26-0), something that saved them from playing the round of 16 of end.
That forced Spain to go through the toll of Germany (6-12), and then came the victories against Serbia (9-10) and Croatia (9-8). “We prepare the games one hundred percent, David is a 'maniac' in this why we can compete against these water polo colossi. Being in three finals in recent years says it all. Either we play as a team or we don't have any We are the best team in the world to take the opponent to the limit, if not, it is impossible for us to beat them, “goalkeeper Dani López Pinedo explained.
The current runner-up in Europe and the world, who already assured her presence in the Olympic Games in Gwangju, will now have the opportunity to savor the glory that was taken from her in the last two events.
DATA SHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
HUNGARY: Nagy (p), Vogel (p); Angyal, Manhercz, Zalanki, Come on, Hosnyanszky, Pohl, Jansik, Erdelyi, Varga, Mezei, Harai.
SPAIN: López Pinedo (p), Lorrio (p); Munárriz, Granados, Sanahuja, De Toro, Larumbe, Delgado, Fernández, Tahull, Perrone, Mallarach, Busts.
– PAVILION: Budapest Sand Dune.
– HOUR: 19.00 / Teledeporte.