Spain is immortal, an anvil impossible to break no matter how hard it is hit. This was demonstrated in the last match of the first phase against Sweden. The Nordics, one of the favorites to win the World Cup, dominated the duel from start to finish and even led by six goals. But centimeter by centimeter, inch by inch and after spectacular group work, the team achieved the tie with six seconds remaining (29-29). There was no Spanish goalkeeper and the Swedish star Möller was preparing to give his team the victory to an empty goal. But Dani Dujshebaev, with a legendary dive, deflected the ball so that the point was effective. A point that allows Spain to think big in this World Cup. A Norway in full crisis, the next challenge.
The atmosphere was that of a big game, always tense and addictive, the confrontations against the Scandinavian teams, Swedish and Norwegian brothers in the crowded stands of Oslo in the face of the Mediterranean threat. The referees allowed a lot of contact, especially on the yellow side, very aggressive defenses that Dani Dujshebaev and Garciandia collapsed with their classic missiles. Although their attack was optimal, Spain suffered in defense, the Swedes were too elusive, the Spaniards had little concentration in moments where doubt threatened. But their performance was powerful in the first ten minutes (4-4), aware that a victory would not only give them first place in the group, but would also allow them to send a strong message to the rest of the tournament.
The Nordics were not at all intimidated, their counterattacking displays were beautiful and coordinated, also well supported by Palicka’s stops (he even stopped a shot with his face that cost him a lot of dizziness). With ease and thanks to the fence built around their goal, they had a great run (8-4) halfway through the first half. Spain’s excess of losses, six in the first 15 minutes, began to cloud the horizon. A goal from Solé from seven meters put an end to the scoring drought for Jordi Ribera’s team, but Lagergren’s shots were unattainable for Pérez de Vargas, a miracle worker who suffered like never before. The national team was very sunk, it allowed the Swedish geniuses to think excessively and the result was increasingly adverse (13-7).
Álex Dujshebaev, as always, honored the shirt, lifting up all his teammates with his recklessness and bravery when facing the Scandinavian phalanx. However, the Cantabrian’s leadership was insufficient, the Swedes were heading towards a major victory. Pérez de Vargas began to impose himself on the wall that his goal had become, while the young Peter Cikusa showed that, despite his youth, he cannot be given an inch of space. Small helps that disguised what could have been a resounding result at half-time (16-11).
The national team reset after the restart, their defenses were much more intimidating and their ideas on attack were clearer thanks to the indomitable Peter Cikusa, although Lagergren and Palicka always invented some tricks to keep the distance. Meanwhile, there was time for Pérez de Vargas to show his honorability. Wanne saw the red after throwing, apparently with intention, a free kick directly into the Toledo man’s face, but this corrected the referee by indicating that the ball had hit his shoulder first. Great gesture that produced no mercy in the actions of the Nordics, who halfway through the second half, maintained a lead of six (23-17).
Although victory seemed impossible, the Spanish improvement was evident. The open shots for the wingers began to appear, Solé very well in the definition, and the only thing left was for Ribera’s boys to toughen up at the back to try a desperate approach. A great counterattack completed by Garciandia and a spectacular save by Pérez de Vargas from seven meters reduced the difference to just three goals (25-22). After feeling very superior, the Swedes began to sweat bullets, their scoring drought was evident and the doubts on their faces, too. Cikusa, a giant among giants, avoided a tie that was now possible, although there were only five minutes left (27-25).
A goal from Dani Dujshebaev made the Nordic advantage minimal, while Barrufet’s defensive hegemony gave tons of hope. It was Tarrafeta who signed the long-awaited tie after entering like a mass among the rival defense. However, with 40 seconds left, the Catalan was sent off and Ekberg scored from seven meters out. Outnumbered and one down, the Dujshebaev brothers decided it was not time to give up. Álex, with a tremendous shot, equalized and, when Möller was going to give his team the victory into an empty goal, a stretch by Dani sent the ball into the red. Simply memorable.
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