Spain, back after the bad World Cup, maintains full success in the qualifying phase for the European Championship
MADRID, 29 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s handball team beat North Macedonia (19-31) this Thursday with a serious away match from a strong defense, to make it three out of three in the qualifying phase for this year’s European Championship.
Ambros Martín’s team, who left a bad image at the World Cup last December, returned to the fray with a convincing performance in a complicated test within Group 5, which they lead with six points to the four of the Macedonians.
A direct duel far from home where the ‘Warriors’ were strong in defense and opened the gap at half-time (11-17) at the A1 Arena Boris Trajskovski in Skopje. Spain was better and also left a strong warning ahead of the duel between the two again on Sunday in Lanzarote, where the Spanish team will seek to put its foot and a half in the European Championship with an a priori advantageous first place.
María Prieto’s goals and Merche Castellanos’ saves began to make a difference in Skopje (3-6). Shandy Barbosa, who finished as the top scorer with seven goals, did not take long to add to the Spanish effectiveness, but what imposed the law of the ‘Guerreras’ was the aggressiveness at the back.
With this, Martín’s team set the pace of the match and opened the scoring at half-time, with Paula Arcos stopping Sara Ristovska. Spain grew even after passing through the locker room and dried up the host’s attack for nine minutes, with the addition that Mereche Castellano stopped everything and more.
Thus, the match was sentenced with 20 minutes left, with the feeling that Spain was not going to settle, having its pride touched after the World Cup. The ‘Warriors’ thus left the lead alone, with North Macedonia’s first defeat, and recovering the game with a view to the Pre-Olympic in April.
DATASHEET:
–RESULT: NORTH MACEDONIA, 19 – SPAIN, 31.
–EQUIPMENT:
MACEDONIA DEL NORTE: Dragana Petkovska, Jovana Micevska and Slobodanka Kiceska -en portería- Ivana Gakidova, Ana Marija Kolarovska, Ivana Djatevska (1), Elena Gjorgjijevska (1), Angela Jankulovska, Jovana Kiprijanovska (4), Andrea Sedloska (1), Ivana Arsenievska, Sara Ristovska (6), Simona Madjovska (3), Jovana Sazdosvak (1), Leonida Gichevska (1), Katerina Damjanoska (1).
SPAIN: Merche Castellanos and Darly Zoqbi -in goalkeeper-; Marta Lopez (3), Carmen Fields, Sylvia Arderius (2), Elizabeth Cesareo (1), Maitane Echeverria (1), Lara Gonzalez (2), Danila so Thin, Sole Lopez (2), Kaba Gassama (2), Seynabou Mbengue (3), Maria Prieto (5), Lysa Tchaptchet, Paula Arcos (5) and Alexandrina Cabral (7).
–PARTIALS EVERY FIVE MINUTES: 1-3, 3-6, 5-6, 8-11, 10-13, 11-17, –rest–, 11-20, 12-23, 13-24, 15 -26, 16-26, 19-31.
–REFEREES: S. Ivanovic and M. Vujisic (Montenegro). Ivana Djatevska, Andrea Sedloska, Simona Madjovska and Jovana Sazdovska (twice) were excluded by North Macedonia; and Carmen Campos, Silvia Arderius, Maitane Echeverría (twice), Soledad López and Lysa Tchaptchet (twice) on behalf of Spain.
–PAVIL: A1 Arena SC Boris Trajkovski, Skopje.