Spain gets into the World Cup quarter-finals with a solvent victory

Spain successfully entered the quarterfinals of the Handball World Cup by defeating Croatia with a choral, solid, elegant and varied game. Although there could be doubts about the weakness of the rivals in the first phase, the triumphs against Japan and the Balkan team have highlighted that this team knows how to break stone, knows how to suffer, that it is an extraordinarily solid block. It combines a superb goal with an intense and exasperating defense, perfectly seasoned with an imaginative and effective attack in which all players know what to do, how to do it and when. The result is a balanced salad, with just the right amount of salt and oil, without concessions but with the necessary roundness. The only thing left to do is know the rival that will allow you to open the door to fight for the medals. On Sunday, the answer.

The ill-fated Juan de Dios Román always commented that there are dozens of mini-games in a handball match. And that only by understanding those moments could you try to alter the duel in your favor. And that was exactly what happened in the first act. Spain understood before the Croats what was the tone to be given to the clash. Defensive firmness and elaborate game was the bet of the Warriors. His rivals trusted him more to take advantage of rival losses and to Blazevic’s arm.

For 22 minutes the Spanish tactic worked. The blockades of Kaba Gassama opened the necessary holes for Irene Espínola or for the penetrations of the power plants. Back, what the defense did not stop was stopped by Merche Castellanos, and income grew slowly but inexorably. Spain does not make attack-defense changes. Praves has formed such a uniform group that it works almost in blocks, thus avoiding the problem of yielding cash on the balance to their own goal. And from that continuity the team grew with solvency.

Croatian coach Bilusic stopped the game in the 22nd minute and forced his players to put more legs on defense. Coincidentally, the Spanish began to have problems with the ball. It gave the impression that the ball had a lot of resin, it barely bounced, and the Spanish completely lost their rhythm.

The rest did not hurt, no

Especially because the locals, although they played as visitors, came out plugged, raised the defense one point and began to despair the Croats. The Balkan women could not find any way to the goal of Merche Castellanos. Robberies, blocks, legs and arms. And when they found it they smashed into a second wall. La Mancha’s match was to frame and ended up making the rivals despair. Even so, the Balkan team favored by the Spanish pájara had its moment, which began to lose balls as if there were no tomorrow. But the chess players decided to return the favor and twice wasted the opportunity to place two.

Praves, seeing what he saw, moved pieces to look for varied attack movements based on placing two centrals or alternating the sides. Now I penetrate with Alicia, now Irene launches, now Ainhoa ​​marks herself a blocking luxury, now the ends are marked a luxury and they launch comfortably. The strategy was successful and the Croatian resistance was already fading to deliver the spoon. Five minutes without scoring is giving up a lot at these levels.

Let Brazil pass and then Germany or Denmark. Overall, at this stage of the tournament you can no longer choose.