Bidasoa Irún ended TM Benidorm’s unbeaten run with a convincing 24-31 victory in Palau, a performance where one player stood out from the opening minutes and both of his goalkeepers made decisive stops throughout the match.
TM Benidorm enjoyed their best start to a season in the last decade in Asobal
JA Galvan
Set by Jacobo Cuétara, the first half kept its tension tight as the Basque defense, supported by the sharp interventions of Mehdi Harbaoui, kept Benidorm under constant pressure and prevented the hosts from finding a steady rhythm in attack.
Bidasoa attacked with purpose from the opening whistle and quickly demonstrated that their early winning streak was no accident.
In the 11th minute, TM Benidorm head coach Sergio Carballeira called for a timeout with the score at 2-5 to reawaken his team’s attack, which had been stifled by strong defensive work. The pause gave Benidorm a brief spark, but Harbaoui again interrupted their momentum before it could take hold.
In the 22nd minute the game opened up with several fast attacks, and Bidasoa pushed the advantage to 6-12 as the first half progressed, ending at 8-15. Benidorm’s attempts to swing the match back in their favor faltered as Bidasoa accelerated again after the break.
Carballeira’s squad clung to David Roca’s shooting, while the visitors relied on the Salinas brothers for connection plays and the solid work of goalkeeper Skzyniarz to maintain their lead. The Basque team demonstrated a higher level of efficiency, translating their opportunities into clear goal differences, even as Benidorm kept fighting with contributions from Samu Ibáñez in goal and strikes from Vainstein and Ramiro Martínez, narrowing the deficit at times but never overturning the result.
MATCH REPORT
TM Benidorm: Witkowski; Ramiro Martínez (3), Vainstein (3), Moscariello (1), Nacho Valles (1), Leo Alonso and D’Angelis (3, 1p) – top seven – Barceló (1), Oliver, Roca (5), Sempere (3), Zhukov (3), Vujovic, Lautaro Robledo (1) and Samu Ibáñez (penalty)– listed as main contributors.
Bidasoa Irun: Mehdi Harbaoui; Cavero (5, 3p), Da Silva (3), Furundarena (2), Dariel García (5), Rodrigo Salinas (1) and Asier Nieto (1) – in the top seven – Jevtic, Zabala, Tao, Esteban Salinas (3), Mujica (2), Iribar (1), Gorka Nieto (3, 1p), Tito Díaz (5) and Skzyniarz (penalty).
Referees: Rosendo López (Galicia) and Fiera Cavada (Asturias). Players such as Moscariello (2), David Roca, Lautaro Robledo and Nacho Valles (2) for TM Benidorm and Furundarena, Jevtic, Iribar and Zabala for Bidasoa Irún were sent off for two minutes. Carballeira was issued a blue card in the 25th minute of the second half.
Score progression: 1-1, 2-4, 4-6, 6-9, 7-12, 8-15 at half-time; 11-20, 15-23, 18-26, 18-27, 20-30, 24-31 in the final minutes. The match took place on the sixth day of the Plenitude Asobal League in front of about 800 spectators at the Palau d’Esports de L’Illa in Benidorm.
Extraordinary Congress held prior to the match
Hours before the Bidasoa game, TM Benidorm conducted an Extraordinary Congress to inform partners about the club’s current financial situation and to seek approval for potential credit operations when necessary. More than 20 members attended, and the financial position was reviewed following the board’s election on July 2. The discussions covered season planning, income and expense items, and the professionalization of the Asobal League, including forecasted revenues and the implications of any changes on cash flow.
The managers of TM Benidorm outlined strategies to reduce inherited debt over the long term, approved the contractual framework, and recognized that revenue growth was essential to meet promised expenses while preserving liquidity. They also emphasized the need to attract more sponsors and to ensure a financially healthy club through disciplined management of income and expenditure.
[citation: TM Benidorm press materials; post-match report]