The kicks, six, alleviated the night of a Jokin Altuna who saved the best for the last goal of the match that opened the final day of the first phase of the Couples Championship last night in Zalla. After going behind for a long time in the electronics and taking the lead with a 21-16 that seemed definitive, the second classified saw Larrazabal, Urrutikoetxea’s new replacement, and his defender Albisu approaching two goals, 21-19 . The striker from Amezketar then observed clarity where most only see darkness and nailed a masterful save to the txoko from three with the two rivals confused and surprised.
Game time:
60 minutes and 32 secondsBalls to good:
507Goals of service:
Altuna, 6. Larrazabal, 1.Serve fouls:
Altuna, 0. Larrazabal, 0.So many at stake:
Altuna III, 9. Tolosa, 2. Larrazabal, 10. Albisu, 2.So many lost:
Altuna III, 5. Tolosa, 1. Larrazabal, 5. Albisu, 0.Highlighter:
6-0, 6-1, 7-1, 7-6, 8-6, 8-11, 11-11, 11-12, 13-12, 13-15, 17-15, 17-16, 21-16, 21-19 y 22-19.Output odds:
100 to 60 in favor of Altuna III and Tolosa. 40 to 100 below.Incidences:
half inning at the Mimetiz de Zalla pediment thanks to the assistance of 352 pelotazales. Neither of the two couples requested a single break during the course of the meeting.
The only thing at stake was honor and professionalism, Jokin Altuna and Xabi Tolosa, the support of the couple. Instead, Albisu defended the option of finishing third or fourth. It can’t be. This defeat leads them to fifth or sixth place, regardless of what happens in other frontons, so they must win two playoff games to access the semifinals.
Today at the Labrit, Irribarria-Rezusta or Peña II-Mariezkurrena II will reach their seventh point, so they will finish ahead in the table. And any of the two draws between three couples prevents Urrutikoetxea and Albisu from finishing fourth because Peio Etxeberria-Rezusta in one of the cases and Laso-Imaz in the other will qualify ahead of them.
For the rest, Iker Larrazabal came out stronger from his third substitution. Known is the speed that prints the hook. This time he brought mathematical precision to the stops for the txoko, which made Altuna III desperate.
The initial 6-0 in 36 balls, which included three kicks, promised a placid night for Altuna III and Tolosa. There was no such. Albisu corrected the initial doubts, began to command the rally and Larrazabal put his offensive machinery into operation, which reaffirms him as a possible starter in the future to anything that finds solidity and regularity.
Altuna III hadn’t quite caught the air from Larrazabal’s plays and he wasn’t showing as much inspiration as usual. Tolosa barely missed but it was not enough and two goals from behind led to the key period of the game, 13-15.
Larrazabal entered a ball that logic invited to let go and Altuna then acquired the leading role that had been denied to him for almost three quarters of an hour. He sentenced with three goals from service and four from play. Victories are always comforting.
