Spain is already in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Sweden and Poland, thanks to the brilliant victory, suffered and worked, against Slovenia. The team led by Jordi Ribera resolved with great skill and seriousness a complicated, dense and rough duel against a quality rival who did not throw in the towel until 10 minutes remained. Now the Hispanics depend on their last duel against France (Sunday, 9:00 p.m.) and on Monday’s Norway-Germany to find out their rival on Wednesday: either Norwegians or Germans.
solidarity team
With an excellent collective game, sacrificed in defense and coral in the distribution of goals, Spain advances among the eight best in the world
The Spanish team set victory on track from the very beginning with a seasoned defense, forceful at 6:0 with Peciña and Guardiola in the center, combined with a devastating attack due to its speed, with very fast center and counterattack services. Thus, after 10 minutes, the Hispanics were already leaving 4 goals (3-7). And more than they could have been if goalkeeper Urban Lesjak hadn’t saved so much, with 6 saves after 14 minutes.
However, when Spain began to play better, losses and saves by Lesjak led to a 3-0 win for Slovenia that got within one goal (6-7) and forced Jordi Ribera to stop the clock.
The professor de Sarrià de Ter launched his plan B, the mobility of the bench. The entry of Cañellas and Maqueda on the sides, also forceful in defense, but above all the counterattacks from Odriozola and the surprise currents from Pol Valera with 2 goals in a row restored the Spanish advantage (10-12).
However, Slovenia did not let up, holding on to speed and goals from Ovnicek and Mackovsek to take the lead for the first time (14-13) with a 4-1 run. Spain suffered from that fast game, but readjusted the defense and contained the blow, taking the tables at halftime (15-15).
great second part
Spain beat Slovenia 9-16 in the second 30 minutes thanks to a great defense
At the restart, Ribera came out with Pol Valera at the helm, escorted on the sides by Cañellas and Alex Dujshebaev. Although he soon had to change the strategy and resort to Casado to calm the attacks. Slovenia maintained the effectiveness of Janc’s hand, while Spain felt better the more they ran on the counterattack or stealing from an intense and forward defense. Thus came the 1-4 that allowed him to re-establish the advantage with the 19-21 after 10 minutes.
With ant work, defensive intensity helped by Gonzalo’s saves and the technical quality in the offensive actions, Spain gradually carved out a bigger gap, reaching +3 (20-23) with the third from Ferran Solé and the +4 with a missile from Daniel Dujshebaev (20-24) that forced Uros Zorman to ask for time because the game was going away.
Slovenia then resorted to the electricity of the blaugrana Domen Makuc, but the script did not change. Spain continued to pass its roller of defensive solidity and reached 5 goals of rent (21-26, from Odriozola) to enter the last 10 minutes with the morale increasingly food for the Slovenians.
Two goals in a row from Daniel Dujshebaev (23-28) and two saves in a row from Pérez de Vargas had just melted down the leads for Slovenia and ensured the victory and classification for the Hispanics with 4 minutes to go.
Data sheet
Slovenia, 26 – Spain, 31
Slovenia: Lesjak, Janc (5), Dolenec (7, 4p), Bombac (3, 1p), Mackovsek (3), Kodrin (2), Blagotinsek (1); Vlah (1p), Gaber (1), Ovnicek (2), Novak (1), Cehte, Makuc, Mazej.
Spain: Pérez de Vargas, Odriozola (6, 2p), Peciña, Guardiola (1), Daniel Dujshebaev (5), Casado (3), Ángel Fernández (1); Alex Dujshebaev (3), Figueras (4), Cañellas (1), Maqueda (1), Sánchez-Migallón, Pol Valera (2), Ferran Solé (4, 1p), Corrales (ps).
Referees: Kurtagic and Wetternwik (Sweden). They excluded Blagotinsek, Sánchez-Migallón (2), Guardiola, Mazej.
Partial: 2-3, 3-6, 6-7, 10-10, 12-13, 15-15 (rest); 18-17, 19-21, 20-23, 21-26, 23-28, 26-31.
Track: Tauron Arena in Krakow.
