Spain beat Austria (30-26) and brings the European semifinals closer
MADRID, 18 (SportsFinding)
The Spanish men's handball team won (30-26) on Saturday in Austria on the second day of the 'Main Round' of the 2020 European Championship, another solid performance launched in the second half to keep undefeated and full of options with the one who caresses the semifinals.
Those of Jordi Ribera added five out of five at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna to track the fight for medals. The stops of Rodrigo Corrales and the change to 6: 0 in defense in the second half laid the foundations for a triumph without discussion. With 6 points as the leading leader in Group I, Spain will play on Monday against Belarus and on Wednesday against Croatia.
The current champion found the problems that Austria brought in her manual, better learned after the break to make a difference and fulfill a vital commitment that leaves another applicant out of the game. In the first half, Spain recalled the dangers they already suffered with defeat in the EHF EURO Cup in April, a rival with a high pace and dangerous sides, playing at home and with something else at stake.
After a start of high pace and much exchange, Ribera achieved the first mattress with an 8-5, with the Corrales stops and Alex Dujshebaev's goals, taking advantage of the first rival exclusion. Spain did not end its attacks well, slowed inside in search of the pivots without looking for other options. Thus came the losses and the careers of the hostess.
Halfway through the first half the game was equalized (9-9) and thanks to Corrales, Austria did not have its escape. Ribera's downtime returned equilibrium to the national attack, taking into account that Eichberger also met at the local goal. Spain did not take advantage of a new superiority, with the expulsion of Herburger, and another for Raúl Entrerríos ended with a first equalized time (17-16).
5: 1 had not worked in defense and Ribera changed after the break, with a positive result. The improvement allowed Spain to grow and block the Austrians (23-19). An exclusion of Bozovic left Austria orphaned by Frimmel in his first weapon in the first 30 minutes and thickened the local attack. The 'Hispanic' wall left almost five minutes without scoring its rival.
The disadvantage precipitated the game of Ales Pajovic. However, after once again knowing how to read the game, Spain hammered with Jorge Maqueda, named best player of the game, and enjoyed the great direction of Entrerríos and Sarmiento. A double Spanish exclusion seven minutes from the end opened a door that Austria did not expect, sunk by a 27-23.
The host did not know how to take advantage of the moment, regretting a second defeat in this phase that squandered her options. Spain was better even with two less, with Corrales reaching the dozens of stops and a victory controlled by the Hispanics. A team that is already fighting another tournament for the podium, without underestimating Belarus, who may already have the key on Monday.
DATA SHEET.
– RESULT: SPAIN, 30 – AUSTRIA, 26. (17-16, at rest).
–EQUIPMENT.
SPAIN: Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, Rodrigo Corrales; Jorge Maqueda (6), Ángel Fernández (3), Raúl Entrerríos (4), Álex Dujshebaev (2), Daniel Sarmiento (2), Julen Aginagalde, Ferrán Solé (1), Adriá Figueras (4), Joan Cañellas (1) , Viran Morros, Aleix Gómez (3), Aitor Ariño (4), Gideon Guardiola, Daniel Dujshebaev.
AUSTRIA: Bauer, Eichberger; Bozovic (5), Weber (3), Wöss (1), Posch (2), Frimmel (4), Dicker (2), Herburger, Zeiner (2), Zivkovic, Bilyk (3), Wagner (2), Jochmann (1), Hutecek (1), Santos.
– PARTIAL EVERY 5 MINUTES: 3-3, 8-6, 9-9, 11-10, 13-14 and 17-16 – rest – 19-18, 23-19, 24-20, 26-22 , 29-23 and 30-26.
– ARBITRATORS: Gjeding (DIN) and Hansen (DIN). They excluded Entrerríos, Maqueda and Aleix Gómez for two minutes from Spain, and Weber and Bozovic from Austria. They expelled Herburger with red.
– PAVILION: Wiener Stadthalle.