The Spanish women’s handball team put a foot and a half in the European Championship in Slovenia, Macedonia and Montenegro 2022 after winning this Wednesday by a clear 20-29 to Slovakia, in a match in which the “Guerreras” were enough with fourteen minutes of maximum defensive intensity in the first half to resolve the contest.
And that to those of José Ignacio Prades it was difficult for them to adjust their defensive system, which Slovakia did not miss out ondirected by the former Spanish coach Jorge Dueñas, to connect again and again with the pivot Nikoleta Trunkova.
A circumstance that allowed Slovakia, who had lost their matches in the qualifying phase, to be eight minutes into the game with a lead of two goals on the scoreboard (4-2).
Result that seemed to definitely wake up the “Warriors” who did not concede a single goal to the Central Europeans in the following fourteen minutes of play.
Led by the couple that formed the axis of defense Lara González and Eli Cesáreo closed all the passing lines with Trunkova, which revealed all the shortcomings of the Slovak team that, without being able to play with their pivot, chained one error after another.
Mistakes and more mistakes that Spain did not miss out on to break the match based on quick transitions and counterattacks that placed José Ignacio Prades’ men with an eight-goal lead (4-12) on the scoreboard.
A partial 0-10 wrecker which seemed to relax the Spanish players who notably lowered their defensive intensity in the final minutes of the first half.
no chance to run the “Guerreras” notably lowered their success percentages in attack, where they accumulated more losses of those necessary against a clearly inferior rival, which reduced the Spanish advantage to five goals (8-13) when the break came.
But the Spanish team didn’t want any surprises and it was enough for Prades’ team to increase their defensive intensity again at the start of the second half for the Spanish advantage to grow again until reaching a maximum income of ten goals (11-21).
Difference that Slovakia tried to reduce by betting on an attack with seven players, which although it served the Dueñas team to improve their guarimos, never jeopardized the victory of the Spanish team, as reflected in the final 20-29.
A clear marker that leaves the Spanish team one step away from the European Championship, in which the “Guerreras” ensure their presence with a tie in the match that will face Portugal next Sunday in Irun.
However, the “Guerreras” could seal their ticket earlier if this Thursday the Portuguese team fails to beat Hungary, in a clash in which the Magyars, who already won by a clear 34-24 in the first leg, start as clear favourites.
Data sheet:
20 – Slovakia: Medvedova; Stefanikova (3), Holejova (4), Bajciova (-), Rebicova (-), Bizikova (3p) and Trunkova (6) -initial team- Furgalakova (ps), Kostelna (-), Popovcova (1), Rajnohova ( 2), Hudakova (-), Gyoriova (1), Scipova (-), Ratvajska (-) and Bujnochova (-)
29 – Spain: Castilians; Etxeberria (4), Almudena Rodríguez (4), Eli Cesáreo (1), Lara González (1), Alicia Fernández (2) and Sole López (1) -initial team- Navarro (ps), Campos (3), Arderius ( -), Vegué (-), Gassama (1), Ainhoa Hernández (-), Valdivia (1), Arcos (5) and Barbosa (6)
Marker every five minutes: 2-1, 4-3, 4-9, 4-10, 6-13 and 8-13 (Break) 8-15, 10-19, 13-22, 17-25, 18-28 and 20-29 (Final)
referees: Yovchev and Yovchev (BUL). They excluded Bajciova (2) for Slovakia for two minutes; and Lara González for Spain.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the fifth day of group 5 of the qualifying phase for the European Championships in Slovenia, Macedonia and Montenegro 2022, played at the Chemkostav Arena in Michalovce (Slovakia).