MADRID, Jan. 20 (SportsFinding) –
The Spanish handball team has won its ticket for the semifinals of the European Championship after defeating Belarus on Monday (28-37) in its third meeting of the 'Main Round', and the first place of Group I will be played next Wednesday before Croatia.
Led by Ferran Solé and Ángel Fernández (7) and supported by an excellent Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, 'MVP' of the match with 15 stops, the 'Hispanics' did the first part of their duties and will look for a victory before the Balkan team guarantee a more affordable crossing for the penultimate round of the tournament.
In his sixth match in the continental event, with Iosu Goñi entering instead of Dani Dujshebaev, Spain started somewhat hesitant and a couple of losses made him look 3-1 down soon. His insistence on attacking the Belarusian team through the center of the defense took its toll and forced them to play the first minutes in tow.
It was in the wake of the change to the defensive change at 5: 1 when he began to harm his rival and get into the clash. In the first superiority, Cañellas got equal to 6, and shortly after completing the 13 minutes of the game Aginagalde put the team for the first time ahead (6-7).
The goals began to arrive at the ends, but the 'Hispanics' could not breach the light. Ferran Solé missed with 11-12 to extend the rent and Belarus did not miss it, with Gayduchenko matching and with Vailupau, with six goals in the first half, returning the advantage from seven meters.
However, the Catalan right winger was able to compensate himself to put Jordi Ribera again ahead of him on the scoreboard just before the break, which he reached as top scorer (7) and with a 100% effectiveness from seven meters.
SPAIN ESCAPES AND REMITS THE PASS
In the resumption, the 'Hispanics' put one more march to escape in the light. After those of Iouri Chevtsov managed to match up twice, a partial 0-6 allowed Ribera to get the victory on track.
Kulesh broke the Belarusian drought, but the damage was already done. Spain was managing its income and expanding it to nine goals with an empty shot from Maqueda (24-33). Ángel Fernández sealed the maximum difference (25-35) and gradually confirmed the pass for the fifth consecutive European semifinals.
In this way, the 'Hispanics' will play the first place of Group I of the 'Main Round' on Wednesday (4:00 pm) against Croatia, which won this Monday to Germany (25-24). In case of a tie, he will decide the goal difference: Spain has a +26, while the Balkans have +14.
DATA SHEET.
– RESULT: BELARUS, 28 – SPAIN, 37 (16-17, at rest).
–EQUIPMENT.
BELARUS: Saldatsenka (p), Kishou (p); Brouka, Kulesh (6), Shylovich (1), Pukhouski (1), Nikulenkau (1), Shumak, Yurynok (3), Baranau (1), Lukyanchuk (2), Padshyvalau (1), Karalek (3), Vailupau (8, 4 pen.), Bokhan and Gayduchenko (1).
SPAIN: Pérez de Vargas (p), Corrales (p); Maqueda (6), Fernández (7), Entrerríos (2), A. Dujshebaev (5), Sarmiento (1), Aginagalde (1), Solé (7, 4 pen.), Goñi (1), Figueras, Cañellas ( 1), Morros, Gómez (5, 2 pen.), Ariño (1) and Guardiola.
– PARTIAL EVERY 5 MINUTES: 3-2, 6-5, 7-8, 11-12, 14-15, 16-17 – rest – 19-20, 20-25, 22-28, 24-31 , 25-35 and 28-37 –final–.
– ARBITRATORS: Santos and Fonseca (POR). It excluded two minutes to Karalek (3), Bokhan and Lukyanchuk by Belarus and Entrerrios, A. Dujshebaev and Goñi by Spain.
– PAVILION: Wiener Stadthalle.