Spain sometimes goes and sometimes stops. It is still a discontinuous team, but enough in any case to dispatch a rival like Ukraine (32-20) and secure a place in the second phase of the Women’s Handball World Cup. The team was better again in the second half, finding solutions when doubts arose as soon as they returned from the break, and clinging in uncertainty to the beacon of Mireya González (six goals and MVP of the match) and the solidity between the goalposts. Merche Castellanos (11 stops and 42% success rate).
This Sunday, the slope gets steeper against Brazil (6:00 p.m., Teledeporte) and what happens against the South Americans, who have also won their two matches, will greatly determine the future of the Guerreras in the tournament. A victory would put them in the next round with four points and would keep intact their chances of entering the quarterfinals, the main objective because that practically ensures the pre-Olympic qualification. But falling would leave Spain without margin and against the wall. A borderline duel for the third day.
After the hesitant debut against Kazakhstan, the marquee of the group, Ambros Martín’s mandate was clear: start more focused on defense. With more contacts, more aggressive. And that part did show initial progress. It was not an impenetrable wall, but there was less dispersion. Up top, Mireya González did not need to change compared to her debut, the finest, and continued doing her thing, with four goals without a mistake. The pivot was also a treasure for the Spanish, with Kaba Gassama and Lysa Tchaptchet, well assisted by Alicia Fernández.
And so, without any great noise, the team was able to stretch to 11-5 in the 20th minute, after a 4-0 run. Ukraine was suffering from its success in the seven meters and the production of Tamara Smbatian (six goals in the intermission). Her attack offered too many escape routes, with many errors. It was the Guerreras’ time to take another bite and open more of a gap, but it didn’t happen. Once again Spain’s losses and bad decisions narrowed the margin at halftime (16-12).
The return of the pause abounded in that swampy terrain of doubts, again through the hole of losses, the eternal black spot of Spain. The first three possessions went to limbo. The road twisted. But in that blurry moment, Mireya González once again appeared as an anchor to put her foot on the wall and rearm her team in time.
Spain pressed back, was able to launch a couple of analgesic counters and in positional Silvia Arderius turned on the light. Ukraine’s seams showed, Smbatian only added one more goal in the second half and the team, there, scored a healing 22-14 midway through the second half. That income was already the good one. There were no more scares for the team, which managed the outcome calmly and with its head in Brazil. The first real event of the Women’s Handball World Cup has arrived.
Spain, 32 – Ukraine, 20
Spain: Castellanos; Etxeberria (2), A. Fernández (3), Gassama (4), L. González (-), Arcos (2) and S. López (2) —initial team— Zoqbi (ps), Campos (-), Arderius (1), Somaza (3), González de Garibay (-), P. Pérez (4, 2p), O’Mullony (-), Tchaptchet (5) and Mireya González (6).
Ukraine: Saltaniuk; Shukal (1), Poliak (1), Smbatian (7, 3p), Andriichuk (2, 1p), Diachenko (2) and Naumenko (1) —starting team— Baloh (ps), Gladun (ps), Markevych (3 ), Soskyda (-), Prokopiak (-), Melekestseva (1), Kohuch (-), Kozak (2) and Kompaniiets (-).
Marker every five minutes: 2-1, 5-3, 7-5, 11-6, 14-9 and 16-12 (Rest) 17-13, 21-14, 22-15, 24-17, 27-19 and 32-20 (final).
Referees: Belkhiri and Hamidi (ALG). They excluded Tchaptchet (2), Paulina Pérez, Shukal (2) and Kohuch for two minutes.
Arena Nord in Frederikshavn (Denmark).
Group G
Kazakhstan, 15 – Brazil46
Spain32 – Ukraine, 20
Classification
Brazil, 4 points
Spain, 4
Ukraine, 0
Kazakhstan, 0
*Three passes with the points achieved against the teams that also pass the phase
Other results of the day
Romania44 – Chile, 19
Croatia, 22 – Senegal, 22
South Korea27 – Greenland, 16
Sweden36 – China, 24
Austria, 28 – NorwayFour. Five
Denmark25 – Serbia, 21
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