Spain will enter the ‘Main Round’ with a full six points after subduing Iran with an incontestable 22-35. The ‘Hispanics’ signed their most solid match so far in the tournament, with a great choral performance, both in defense, Jordi Ribera’s main obsession, and in attack.
The duel against Veselin Vujovic’s men, with his unmistakable and bushy beard as in his days as a Barça legend, was little more than a training session with an audience, a scarce audience, by the way, at the Tauron Arena in Krakow. The resistance of the Persians lasted two attacks, which the ‘giant’ goalkeeper and the unpronounceable name Siavoshishahenayat, Siavoshish for friends, won the game against Casado and Odriozola (2-1). From that moment on and with the Dujshebaevs in command, Spain would not stop dominating.
Vujovic stopped the game at 2-6 and demanded more intensity in the rear of his team. The Childish mistakes condemned Asians and gave wings to ‘Hispanics’, concatenating counterattacks. Odriozola took advantage of the umpteenth bad delivery to sign a 1-4 run and establish a first high of seven (3-10). The exclusion of Sánchez-Migallón allowed the Iranians to breathe (5-10), although Maqueda and Gideón punished the counterattack (9-17). Before the intermission, Ribera introduced Pol Valera, and the Granollers central defender distributed two assists to open up more of the gap. The last action of the first half was a ‘fly’ between Solé and Cañellas that left the plus 10 (11-21) and the game almost sentenced.
no opposition
The second half had no story. Spain did not lower its intensity one iota and dismantled Iran’s 5:1 defense with astonishing ease. The figures did not stop increasing, up to a maximum of 14 (17-31) after an action by Odriozola. Vujovic’s attempts to redirect the situation were in vain and the score was 22-35 after a seven-meter shot converted by Odriozola himself.
