The Spanish team did not measure up in its all-or-nothing match against the Netherlands, suffered a embarrassing defeat (29-21) and said goodbye to the Scandinavian World Cup on the verge of the quarterfinals. The warriors, who had been fourth in the previous 2021 championship (with the final phase in Granollers), are initially left without a place in the Pre-Olympic to be able to go to the Paris 2024 Games.
They could only achieve it on the rebound if Montenegro qualifies for the quarterfinals (Monday, against Sweden, 8:30 p.m.). Or achieve 9th place and be able to go to the Games if France or Norway do not win the World Cup.
An unexpected gift fueled the hopes of the warriors at the start of their decisive duel to stay alive: the Czech Republic's surprise defeat against Brazil (27-30) made their path easier. To advance to the quarterfinals, Spain would only need to draw or win narrowly against the Netherlands. In no way was the defeat worth it (nor was it before the Brazilian gift).
It seemed that Ambros Martín's team had it clear in a devastating start, a 2-4 start thanks to the three goals in a row from Mireya González, Alicia Fernández and Paula Arcos on the counterattack. A formula for success, pressing, stealing and running, which however the warriors could not consolidate, who soon suffered their first setback: a 4-0 Dutch partial that left them 2 down (6-4; m. 10), trailer, to row against the current.
Spain remained blank for six minutes, until Mireya González broke the drought at 6-5 and re-engaged the warriors in the duel. However, they were penalized by their numerous losses, six in 16 minutes (10 in the first half), and they got stuck in attack, just as happened the day before against the Czech Republic. In 20 minutes they only had 5 goals (8-5), with an alarming lack of resources.
Despite the approach at 8-7 with two flashes from Arcos and Sole López on the counter, Spain crashed against goalkeeper Ten Holte (6 stops of 13 shots in the first half) and the Dutch defense, and succumbed to the goals from Van der Heidjen and Van der Vliet to bottom out at 12-7.
A -5 at 26:30 that made the match and the classification extremely complicated. Mireya González, with two goals in a row, reduced the deficit to 4 goals to reach the break with some option (13-9). But Spain's face would have to change a lot to go to the quarterfinals.
To try to change the course of the match, Ambros Martín brought on Zoqbi in goal for a discreet Merche Castellanos (3 stops). The Spanish-Brazilian debuted with a save on the first shot, but Spain conceded a dangerous 2-0 that put them at -6 (15-9), with the shore increasingly further away. The Canarian coach became desperate and had to ask for time to reorganize his team, disconcerted and disoriented, with 13 losses in just over 33 minutes...
Neither the change of central defender, Alicia Fernández for Paula Arcos, nor the entry of Ester Somaza and Kaba Gassama, nor loading the game on the wing had any effect. Spain could not find a way to score a goal, it was leaking in defense and with a partial score of 3-0 it was 9 down (21-12, at 41m45s) with less and less time to react.
In the final quarter, after going to -10 (22-12 with Springer's 6th goal), the warriors, with everything lost, displayed their best game, with greater self-confidence. Especially the Aragonese Danila Delgado with 5 goals, who made up for the painful defeat.
Paula Arcos admitted: "The team came out with everything we had, the defense worked well in the first half. The key was that they scored so many goals at the start of the second half," the center admitted. "It's a difficult task, the Games are every four years and we had it in mind."
