Rodrigo Reñones’ men came from behind with four goals to beat Portugal (37-35)
The Spanish team overcame the superiority of Rafael Mota da Costa (11 goals)
The Spanish junior team handball was crowned for the third time in its history European champion of the categorywhen prevailing this Sunday by 35-37 to Portugal in a final in which those of Rodrigo Renones they lost by four goals (32-28) with twelve minutes to go.
DATA SHEET
Junior European
BY
ESP
LINEUPS
Portuguese (16+19)
Marquis; Teixeira (-), Francisco Mota da Costa (11, 3p), Sousa (9), Martim Mota da Costa (5), Pedro Oliveira (1) and Queiros (-) -initial team- Ferreira (ps), Cavalcanti (3 ), Viana (3), Miguel Oliveira (-), Costa (-), Gomes (1), Melo (-) and Brandao (2).
Spain (15+22)
Domenech; Antonio Martínez (1p), Lodos (2), Javi Rodríguez (3), Furundarena (1), Gurri (8, 3p) and Arnau Fernández (3) -initial team- Daniel Martínez (ps), Urruzola (-), Soler (2), Mujika (3), Serrano (1), Nieto (3), Reguart (7), Parera (-) and Carlos Álvarez (3).
partial
2-2, 4-6, 7-7, 11-11, 13-13, 16-15 / 20-18, 25-22, 30-26, 32-30, 32-33 and 35-37.
referees
Yann Carmaux and Julien Mursch (France). They excluded Brandao and Cavalcanti for Portugal for two minutes; and to Furundarena, Lodos and Gurri for Spain.
Incidents
Junior European Final played at the Senhora da Hora do Matosinhos Pavilion
A disadvantage that reflected the problems of the Spanish team to contain the brothers in defense Mota da Costaespecially on the right side Raphaelwho midway through the second half already had eleven goals.
Neither the 6-0 defense initially raised by the Spanish coach with JAvi Rodriguez and Eneko Furundarena in the rear axis, nor the subsequent move to 5-1 served to control a Rafael Mota daCostawho seemed intent on surpassing the 14 goals he already endorsed for Spain in the first phase match.
And when the Portuguese team did not find the solution in attack in the figure of Rafael Mota daCosta the figure of his older brother always emerged Martinwhich, after a gray first part, seemed to be definitively in tune in the second thirty minutes of play.
But neither the goalscoring exuberance of the brothers Mota da Costawho already know what it is like to debut with the absolute Portuguese team, daunted the Spanish team, which he was not willing to repeat the defeat (35-36) that he conceded against the Portuguese in the first round with a goal in the last second, of course, from Rafael Mota daCosta.
And for this, what better than appealing to what best defines this young Spanish team, its tireless defensive work.
After tests and tests the Spanish coach Rodrigo Renones hit the key to finally stop the brothers Speck of Coast With the presence of alex sludge With Javier Rodriguez in the center of defense 6-0, as well as Jan Gurri and Gorka Nieto on the sides.
A quartet that little by little was drowning the attack of the Portuguese team that without the goals of the brothers Mota da Costawho did not score again in the remainder of the match, saw their advantage gradually fade.
Defensive improvement that was joined by the irruption in attack of the center-back Bruno Regartwho showed that he not only possesses an electric feint and an innate ability to assist his teammates, but also a powerful shot between the lines.
As he demonstrated in the final minutes of the match with three lashes that culminated the comeback of the “Hispanos júnior” who went from being practically doomed to defeat (32-28) to caressing the title after place themselves with a two-goal advantage (33-35) with two and a half minutes to go.
A destiny that insisted on delaying the Portuguese center-back André Sousawho took the scoring witness of the brothers Mota da Costa in the final minutes of the match.
But nothing and no one could prevent the triumph of the Spanish team that definitively certified his victory with a pitch from Jan Gurrione of the names of the tournament, which established the final 35-37 with fifteen seconds to go.