The ‘Hispanics’ fight with Sweden for leadership
Spain, already qualified for the Main Round, seeks to close the first phase with a prestigious victory
MADRID, 19 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish men’s handball team, with the ticket for the Main Round already secured, will close this Monday at the Unity Arena in Oslo (8:30 p.m./Teledeporte) the first phase of the Denmark, Norway and Croatia 2025 World Championship against Sweden, opposite which will be played for first place in Group F and two vital points to face the remainder of the competition.
The solid victories against Chile (31-22) and against Japan (39-20) in the first two days allowed the ‘Hispanics’ to guarantee the mathematical pass for the second phase of the World Cup, but first comes the first major duel, a Sweden that also easily got rid of the South Americans (30-42) and the Japanese (39-21) in their first matches in Oslo.
The Swedish team has the same four points as the Spanish, but the +30 in goal difference, compared to the +28 of Jordi Ribera’s team, gives them the lead in the group. Thus, only victory would offer first position to Spain, which would also arrive morally reinforced for the ‘Main Round’.
And the duel against Michael Apelgren’s men will serve to gauge the true level of the ‘Hispanics’, who experienced a 2024 of ups and downs, with the early elimination in the European Championship in Germany and the joy of the bronze medal in the Olympic Games of Paris, Pre-Olympic through, as determining points of last year.
Thus, the current World Cup bronze medalist arrived at this event after a great generational change; Some of the youngest players, such as Barça centre-back Petar Cikusa, MVP of the game against Japan, are living up to expectations. Behind, Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, with 16 saves against the Asians, and Sergey Hernández, with 17 against Chile, are guarantees between the sticks.
“The team has gone from less to more. In the first game we were a little thicker and it was more difficult due to the debut in the championship, and in the second game it was much better, especially at a defensive level. We are little by little finding “Our best feelings are. Against Sweden we are looking to enter the ‘Main Round’ with two more points, which is super important for the future. We are already starting to compete against teams that are of a very high level,” explains center back Agustín Casado.
In the second phase, the qualified teams will take the points collected during the Preliminary Round and will face three new rivals; The top two in each group will advance to the quarterfinals. But first, it’s time to think about a Sweden that was already able to beat them in the group stage of the Games (29-26). Despite that, Jordi Ribera’s team finished with a medal, and the Scandinavians did not.
Sweden, four-time world champion, won the last three games played against Spain, which, however, was able to surpass it in the previous edition of the World Cup, a duel for bronze in which the ‘Hispanics’ won the medal against the host (36-39).
The team led by Michael Apelgren clings to the leadership of goalkeeper Andreas Palicka, center back Jim Gottfridsson, Barça left winger Hampus Wanne and left back Jonathan Carlsbogard, also a Barça player, as well as the effectiveness in front of goal of pivot Felix Möller , author of 10 goals against the Chileans.
TECHNICAL SHEET.
–TEAMS.
SUECIA: Palicka (P), Norsten (P), Thulin (P), Lagergren, Nilsson, Svensson Aspenbäck, Johansson, Möller, Wanne, Gottfridsson, Carlsbogard, Edvardsson, Pellas, Sandell, Ekberg, Forsell Schefvert y Karlsson.
SPAIN: Perez de Vargas (P), Hernandez (P), A.Dujshebaev, D.Dujshebaev, Tarrafeta, P.Cikusa, D.Cikusa, Garciandia, Gurri, Casado, Sole, Alvarez, Sanchez-Migallon, Fernandez, Barrufet, Serdio, Rosemary and Rodriguez.
–PAVILLION: Unity Arena in Oslo.
–TIME: 8:30 p.m./Teledeporte.