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The Badminton Rinconada has fulfilled the first goal set before traveling to Bialystok, Poland, for the European Club Championship. Antonio Molina’s men played it all or nothing this Thursday against CDC Che Lagoense, a team that tied in points in the qualifying table. Although equality was valid on paper, the cornerbacks, boosted by the return of Rory Eastonhave managed to beat the Portuguese team with authority (4-1) and expect a rival for the quarterfinals.
The meeting already started face to face for the cornerbacks. The victories of Rory Easton y Laura Molina in straight sets against Bernardo Atilano and Mariana Alfonso (21-19, 21-8), and Nerea Ivorra against Madalena Fortunato later (21-13, 21-11), they put the match in a very early stage, lacking only one more point to close the victory and advance to the quarterfinals.
The Portuguese woke up in the next game. Carlos Piris, despite winning the first set, fell after a comeback against the Portuguese Bernardo Atilano (21-16, 17-21, 16-21). Finally, they were Nerea Ivorra and Laura Molina are in charge of sealing the quarter ticket thanks to her victory in two sets in the women’s doubles against Mariana Alfonso and Madalena Fortunato (21-15, 21-18). Rory Easton and Jaume Pérez put the finishing touch thanks to their victory in two sets against Bruno Carvalho and Daniel Mendes (21-18, 21-12), leaving the final score at 4-1 for the Sevillian team.
At the end of the match, Antonio Molina, a corner coach, valued the victory as «a weight victory, fight and deliver, hitting the table in the right moment”. “For us,” he continued, “this victory is another finishing touch to the season. We have fulfilled the first objective, but we do not want to stay here. Tomorrow is going to be a beautiful day, one of those we missedknowing that we can do something great in Europe”, he stressed.
Regarding the crossover of rooms, still to be decided, Molina affirms that «obviously no rival is going to be easy. We are like seconds and there are very fearsome rivals, like the Polish Hulbal Bialystok, who has endorsed Recreativo IES La Orden 5-0. Whoever touches us we are aware of the difficulty that the match is going to entail, but we have the advantage of playing without any pressure. If being here was already a prize, being in the quarterfinals is a jackpot that we will surely take advantage of not to stay there«.
Tonight, at the end of the afternoon shift meetings, there will be the draw for the quarter-final matcheswhere Badminton Rinconada will face a group first.
