The ‘Hispanics’ challenge the hostess for the bronze
The Spanish handball team says goodbye to the World Cup with the aim of revalidating their podium against Sweden
MADRID, 28 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish men’s handball team says goodbye this Sunday at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm (6:00 p.m./Teledeporte) to the World Cup in Sweden and Poland with the ultimate goal of taking home the bronze medal against the co-host and current European champion, the Swedish team, and stay on the World Cup podium.
The Danish ‘ogre’, with up to 15 saves from his goalkeeper Niklas Landin, finished Friday in the semifinals with the illusions of the ‘Hispanics’ (23-26), who were on the brink of reaching their third World Cup final. With no time to regret, now they focus on the match for third place against the current continental champion.
The long journey from Gdansk (Poland) and the accumulated fatigue weigh on the players, who cling to the incentive of winning their fourth World Cup medal -third bronze- and tenth medal in the last 12 years and defending the podium achieved in the World Cup in Egypt 2021, where the bronze medal was also hung around their necks.
“After 24 hours, the team is going to be aware, and it already is, of what we are at stake. Sweden is in the same circumstances, they play at home, with their fans, so they want to finish the competition well. We’re all going to want to win that game”, said the coach Jordi Ribera in the preview of the match.
Defense will be key against a co-host that succumbed, without its great star Jim Gottfridsson -who broke a finger against Egypt-, in the ‘semis’ against a France (31-26) that silenced the Tele2 Arena. The left back Eric Johansson, with 38 goals in this tournament, will once again be the offensive reference for Sweden, which has the guarantee of low sticks from goalkeepers Andreas Palicka and Tobias Thulin (38% and 42% effectiveness, respectively).
Despite the absence of the powerful center-back, the Nordic team promises to fight to avoid a repeat of what happened in Malmö in 2011. On that occasion, the ‘Hispanics’ also snatched the bronze medal (23-24) in the match for third place in the World Championship in Sweden.
The Scandinavians ‘revenged’ that affront at home by leaving the team then led by Manolo Cadenas out of the Rio 2016 Games by just one goal in a dramatic Pre-Olympic. Much more recent was the defeat of the Spanish in the final of the European Championship in Hungary and Slovakia 2022, where Sweden knocked down the arguments of the ‘Hispanics’ in a very tight match that was decided from seven meters with time up (27-26). .
In the 59 games played between the two teams (26 official and 33 friendlies), Spain has achieved 32 wins, one draw and 26 losses against the Scandinavian team.
DATASHEET.
–TEAMS.
SUECIA: Palicka (P), Thulin (P), Appelgren (P), Lagergren, Daniel Pettersson, Johansson, Claar, Fredric Pettersson, Wanne, Carlsbogard, Persson, Pellas, Sandell, Darj, Ekberg, Forsell Schefvert y Bergendahl.
SPAIN: Corrales (P), Perez de Vargas (P), Guardiola, A.Fernandez, Sole, Canellas, A.Dujshebaev, D.Dujshebaev, Maqueda, Casado, Figueras, Pecina, Odriozola, Sanchez-Migallon, Serdio, Garciandia and D.Fernandez
–PAVILION: Tele2 Arena.
–TIME: 6:00 p.m./Teledeporte.