The Spanish handball team suffered its first defeat in the Golden League this Saturday after losing 34-29 in the ‘Hispanics’ match against Denmark, which won the last two World Cups. In the first half, the Danish goalkeeper collided with Barcelona player Emil Nielsen.

“If handball had been played with fourteen men instead of seven, Denmark would still have quality players on the bench,” said Spanish international Joan Cañellas ahead of the recent World Cup semi-finals in Poland and Sweden, where the handball team faced the Scandinavian team.

A sentence that has become a prediction of what will happen this Saturday in the Golden League, where the Spanish team theoretically faces a substitute player like goalkeeper Emil Nielsen. This became an insurmountable wall for Jordi Ribera’s men in the first half.

This was reflected in eleven interventions, Including two consecutive penalties by Aleix Gómez and Ferrán SoléBarça goalkeeper closed the first thirty minutes of the match with this goal.

Stops and more stops prevented the Spanish team from keeping pace with the Danish team.Except for the injured Symon Pytlickfacing this Golden League with all its stars.

However, although Nielsen’s performance disrupted the offensive play of the Spanish team, the real problem of the Spaniards was in defense. Jordi Ribera could never find the attack for the Danish team.

Neither the 5-1 defense that the Spanish coach preferred at first nor the 6-0 defense that Jordi Ribera had to resort to as the minutes passed were of no use.n To provide the necessary strength to the national team’s rear defense.

If from the start Mikkel Hansen did not spend the gaps left by the open Spanish defense to give the wingers a real lesson on how to take the ball advantageously, then Hans Mensing punished the Spaniards’ lack of depth with a 6-0 win. his whips.

And “Hispanics” They couldn’t find a place in defenseAs they stuck to the six-metre line, Denmark repeatedly hit the Spanish goal with their powerful outside shots, and when they came out to clash with the Danish gunners, center Lukas Jorgensen, author of nine goals, punished the goalkeeper. vote.

It did not take long for this dangerous dynamic to be transferred to the scoreboard, which resulted in a disturbing seven-goal disadvantage (19-12) for the Spanish team at the end of the first half. As soon as the second period started, the gap became even wider (22-13). on the scoreboard.

With this income, Denmark seemed to have ended the contest, which the “Hispanics” did not waste not only to reduce their disadvantages, but also to dream of power. Discussing the victory of the Scandinavians, After being within four goals (26-22) with 14 minutes left.

It is a response in which central defender Agustín Casado and winger Imanol Garciandia play a fundamental role, along with young Jan Gurri, one of the unpolished diamonds that the Spaniards value. They personalized the development of the Spanish team, which noticeably improved its defensive performance in the second half.

However, while things were going better for the Hispanics, Agustín Casado’s unnecessary dismissal and Niklas Landin’s save in the Spanish team’s fifth game. Who replaced Nielsen in the second half? Chema Márquez’s strike ended Jordi Ribera’s side’s hopes of a comeback. as reflected in the final 34-29.

A defeat that the “Hispanos” will try to make up for this Sunday (16:45) against the hosts Norway.In the match that will end the Spanish team’s performance in the Golden League.

Data sheet:

34 – Denmark: Nielsen; Johan Hansen (2), Gidsel (2), Saugstrup (2), Mollgaard (-), Lauge (2) and Jakobsen (2) -starting team- Niklas Landin (ps), Kirkelokke (1), Magnus Landin ( -), Lindberg (-), Mensah Larsen (2), Mikkel Hansen (4p), Jorgensen (9), Damgaard (-), Mensing (7), Hald (-) and Madsen (1)

29 – Spain: Sergey Hernandez; Odriozola (2), Garciandia (6), Casado (5), Dani Dujshebaev (1), Ángel Fernández (1) and Figueras (-) -starting team- Pérez De Vargas (ps), Peciña (-), Solé (1) ), Aleix Gómez (-), Gedeón Guardiola (4), Sánchez-Migallón (-), Chema Márquez (1), Dani Fernández (4, 3p), Gurri (4), Djordje Cikusa (-) and Petar Cikusa (-) )

Marker every five minutes: 2-2, 6-3, 9-6, 11-8, 15-11 and 19-12 (Other) 22-13, 24-16, 26-20, 28-23, 31-26 and 34-29 ( End)

Referees: Kleven and Jorum (NOR). For Denmark, they took off Lauge and Hald (2) for two minutes; For Spain it is already Casado (2), Odriozola, Sánchez-Migallón and Solé.

Events: The match, which coincided with the second day of the Golden League, was played at Sotra Arena in Straume (Norway).EFE