The men’s handball team defended an 18-goal lead against Brazil to completely close the Olympic qualification. According to the federation’s records, in the previous 1,156 matches, it had only lost by more goals three times: in 1969, in a friendly against the Federal Republic of Germany (40-19); in the 1958 World Cup, against Sweden (31-11); and in 1963, in a friendly also against the Federal Republic of Germany (32-13). Three failures in the Paleolithic era. Today, in the modern age, the possibility of a defeat of the Hispanics of such dimensions was much more than remote. Almost impossible if not impossible, a word banned in sports. And there was no case.
Against Brazil, at the close of the pre-Olympic tournament, the only doubt was who would win the match and which other team in the group would accompany Spain to the Games. The team won (26-28) and left the South American team crying, which they had to win to go to Paris. In an agonizing outcome for the canarinha (tied at 26 with two and a half minutes left), no one jumped more in a packed Granollers pavilion than Slovenia, which had defeated Bahrain in the first hour (32-26) and depended on the Spanish hand.
The match was in the hands of the national team throughout the afternoon, which enjoyed a five-goal lead (17-22) midway through the second half. But there are few things more powerful than necessity. So Brazil managed to equalize the duel with a goalkeeper Dangel da Rosa who kept the fort standing, but did not reach everything. Led by Álex Dujshebaev, named MVP, and closed between the sticks by Rodrigo Corrales, Spain gave the Brazilians the coup de grace with two final goals from Gedeón Guardiola from six meters. Full of triumphs, and reinforcement for the game and the honesty of the Hispanics, who applied themselves until the end despite the fact that their lives did not depend on it. “No one can hold anything against us,” claimed Corrales. In the other two pre-Olympics, Croatia and Germany, and Norway and Hungary, qualified.
Beyond the trip to Paris at the end of July, Spain left Granollers with a sporting and moral rearm after the great trigger of the European Championship last January (13th, the worst result since the 2009 World Cup). In the pre-Olympic, the team returned to where it had left off before going to Germany at the beginning of the year. After fulfilling against Bahrain in the debut, Jordi Ribera’s group stood out against Slovenia with a round, impeccable performance. “I am very happy with the team’s performance in these three games, especially on Slovenia day,” said the coach.
Little can be done in handball without a goal and the Hispanics had a very solid couple these days. Starting with Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, unleashed against Slovenia (18 stops and 47% success rate), a wall at the height of his best nights. He was one of those who came out the worst in the European Championship (an intervention in 26 shots in the defeat against Croatia) and the pre-Olympic tournament helped him gain momentum in a strange season for him too after announcing his departure from Barcelona for Kiel. And against Brazil, his lifelong partner, Rodrigo Corrales, scored another great performance (15 stops and 39%). The Galician had been left out of the European Championship, behind Sergey Hernández, who enjoyed his first major championship as a protagonist. But reaching the abyss of the pre-Olympic, Ribera turned to his usual players, who came out stronger.
The coach’s commitment to seniority (seven of the 19 called up were 35 years old or older) did not clash. Viran Morros and Guardiola once again formed in the center of the defense, and in attack Joan Cañellas and Antonio García left bursts of quality.
Since the 76 Montreal Games, the men’s team has only missed the Olympic event once, in Rio 2016, after a pre-Olympic in which it was eliminated by one goal. In Paris, he will return to the big event as a contender to win a medal in rivalry with the classic favorites: Denmark, Sweden and France in the lead. In Tokyo, he already achieved it with bronze, the fourth in his history.
From April 11 to 14, in Torrevieja, it will be the turn of the women’s team, which will face the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Argentina.
Brazil, 26 – Spain, 28
Brazil: Rangel Luan (Mateus Buda); Hackbarth (4), Rodrigues (2), Moraes (1), Monte (1), Joao Pedro da Silva (5) and Dupoux (3, 1p) -starting seven-; Torriani (1), Abrahao (1), Petrus (-), Santos (-), Dutra (-), Langaro (2), Carvalho (2) and Oliveira (4).
Spain: Corrales (Pérez de Vargas); Solé (7, 4p), Garciandia (2), Serdio (1), Guardiola (2), Cañellas (1) and Ángel Fernández (1) -starting seven-; Maqueda (1), Álex Dujshebaev (6), Morros (-), Casado (1), Antonio García (1), Tarrafeta (3), Daniel Fernández (2) and Javier Rodríguez (-).
Referees: Charlotte Bonaventura and Julie Bonaventura (France). Exclusions for Santos, Oliveira (2), Hackbarth, Serdio, Solé and Maqueda (2).
Partials every five minutes: 1-2, 4-5, 7-8, 9-11, 10-12, 14-14 -rest-; 15-17, 16-20, 18-23, 23-24, 24-26 and 26-28.
Palau d’Esports de Granollers. 5,920 spectators.
Group classification (two are classified)
Spain6 points
Slovenia4
Brazil, 2
Bahrain, 0
This is how the drums of the Games draw look
Bass Drum 1: Denmark and Spain
Drum 2: Croatia and Norway
Drum 3: Hungary and Germany
Bass Drum 4: Slovenia and France
Bass Drum 5: Sweden and Egypt
Bass Drum 6: Argentina and Japan
Two groups of six teams will be formed. The first four will advance to the quarterfinals.
The group draw will be held on April 16.
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