Spain surpasses (23-27) to Croatia and seals its pass in the penultimate day
MADRID, 10 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Spanish women’s handball team overcame with authority (23-27) this Friday that of Croatia to mathematically seal its presence in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Spain 2021, and the first place in Group 4 against Brazil will be played on Sunday .
The ‘Warriors’ extended their full of triumphs at the Torrevieja Sports Palace, five out of five, at a key moment to see themselves already in the great event that gives the option to fight for the medals. Croatia played it but it was in tow of the host, a Spain that knows that it will face Germany or Denmark in the quarterfinals.
The ‘Guerreras’ will be at the crossroads that are disputed in Granollers, waiting for one last day of the ‘Main Round’ in which they will seek to be first against the also undefeated Brazil. Those of José Ignacio Prades had a good defense again, from the saves this time by Merche Castellanos.
Croatia, hampered by the casualties due to coronavirus including its great attacker Camila Micijevic, wanted to be strong behind, but the Spanish found the holes soon. Irene Espínola was the one who opened the highway and Shandy Barbosa was not long in following her. Prades’ defensive 6: 0 worked better than the Croatian.
The current continental bronze had to go to the limit, with Kaba Gassama already doing damage on the inside, and Spain took advantage of the succession of exclusions of its rival (5-9). Prades began the rotations and the runner-up in the world linked losses that tightened the light again, although Merche under the sticks did not stop working.
Only Valentina Blazevic, with six goals at halftime, kept the Croatian options, more desperate in the second half. It was only worth beating those of Nenad Sostaric, but Spain was always aware of it. The first attacks were of “warrior” prominence and, although Croatia took advantage of a superiority (12-15), those of Prades never lost command of the match.
Maitane Etxeberria and Carmen Campos allowed the host to escape 15 minutes from the end (17-22), with the general trend of Merche’s good level in goal. Croatia rowed but between losses, with a hungry Barbosa on the track, and blows from a Spain that continues to embroider its World Cup, the Group was sentenced: the host and Brazil, to the quarterfinals.
DATASHEET.
– RESULT: CROATIA, 23 – SPAIN, 27. (9-12, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
CROATIA: Kapitanovic (p), Pijevic (p); Paula Posavec, Stela Posavec (2), Kalaus (2), Jezic (2), Buric, Simara (1), Debelic (4), Turk (3), Mamic, Petika (2), Gudelj, Blazevic (7).
SPAIN: Silvia Navarro (p), Mercedes Castellanos (p); Carmen Martín (4), Carmen Campos (4), Silvia Arderius, Eli Cesáreo, Laura Hernández, Jénnifer Gutiérrez, Maitane Etxeberria (1), Soledad López (4), Kaba Gassama, Alicia Fernández (1), Almudena Rodríguez, Ainhoa Hernández (3), Irene Espínola (4), Paula Arcos, Mireya González, Shandy Barbosa (6).
–PARTIAL EVERY FIVE MINUTES: 2-1, 4-4, 5-7, 6-9, 8-10, 9-12 -at halftime-, 11-15, 14-17, 15-19, 17 -23, 19-25, 23-27.
– REFEREES: Gasmi Karim (FRA) and Gasmi Raouf (FRA). They excluded two minutes to Stela Posavec, Kalaus (2), Debelic (2) and Petika (2) by Croatia. And to Carmen Campos, Ainhoa Hernández and Irene Espínola in Spain.
– PAVILION: Torrevieja Sports Palace, 2,200 spectators.