The 'Guerreras', against the ogre Netherlands on the doorstep to the World Cup quarterfinals
Spain faces an unbeaten opponent in the last match of the Main Round
MADRID, 9 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women's handball team plays this Sunday (4:30 p.m.) against the Netherlands in the third and final match of the Main Round, with the intention of overcoming their recent defeat against the Czech Republic and with the need to win to access the quarterfinals of this World Championship.
It is not a mathematical necessity, since the draw could serve the 'Guerreras' in some combination of results, but it is an emotional necessity after that setback against the Czechs. The 30-22 score at the end ended a streak of four consecutive victories that the players coached by Ambros Martín had been carrying.
The strength of the previous duel against Brazil was not enough against Czechia, who pierced the goal defended by Darly Zoqbi and Merche Castellanos in key moments before the break. Spain, since then, was in tow and experienced its first setback in a World Cup where it went from less to more.
To make matters worse, now Ambros Martín's pupils will have to face their particular ogre of the last decade. In that period, Spain and the Netherlands have met a total of nine times, comprising eight official matches and one friendly. The record of such duels is two Spanish victories, a single draw and six wins for the Dutch team.
One of these triumphs on the Netherlands roster was the controversial final of the 2019 World Cup, with a 29-30 score in favor of the 'tulips' and which stung the 'Warriors' due to the bitter outcome in Kumamoto (Japan), with a 7 meters transformed by Lois Abbingh almost on time.
LOOK BEFORE THE CZECH REPUBLIC VS BRAZIL
According to historical statistics, Spain and the Netherlands have clashed 23 times between official and friendly matches, with a balance of 10 wins for each team and three draws. Repeating past successes will be essential to deal with an unbeaten rival in this 2023 World Cup, leader of Group IV with eight points and already almost qualified for the quarterfinals.
Only losing by 19 goals or more would keep them from the next round. In this sense, the Spanish and Dutch will play the last game of the group, knowing what happened in the Czech Republic vs Brazil. Whenever the Czechs beat the Brazilians, the 'Warriors' would have to beat the Netherlands with a minimum difference of four goals, or score more than 28 goals and have the advantage be at least three goals.
If the Czech Republic (6 pts.) draws or loses against the 'Canarinho' team (4 pts.), Spain (6 pts.) would then be enough to get one more point than the Czechs; That is to say, Ambros Martín's team would be better off winning by any goal difference or even drawing, in order to finish second in the group in those hotly contested quarter-finals.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT:
PAÍSES BAJOS: Duijndam (P), Lieder (P), Ten Holte (P); Van der Heijden, Abbingh, Nüsser, Van Wetering, Broch, Haggerty, Dulfer, Smits, Van Vliet, Malestein, Vollebregt, Van der Vliet y Housheer.
SPAIN: Zoqbi (P), Castellanos (P); M.González, Arderius, So Delgado, Pérez Buforn, Tchaptchet, Echeverria, Fernández, Arcos, Sole López, González de Garibay, L.González, Gassama, Marta López, O'Mullony, Campos and Somaza.
–PAVILLION: Arena Nord of Frederikshavn (Denmark).
–TIME: 16.30/Teledeporte.