sixth gear
A challenging December began for EÓN Horneo Alicante with a visit from UBU San Pablo Burgos, who sat third in the standings. The margin in the table was a slender four points, and every phase of the match turned on minute details and smart executions rather than leaps in momentum alone.
The game unfolded as a chess match between two evenly matched teams. Each approach by one side was met with an equally precise counter by the other. When one attempted to break through the opponent’s defense, the other rose to meet the challenge. When defense tightened, the counter action followed swiftly. The intensity was clear from the opening whistle and persisted through the halves.
start again
Minutes ticked away and EÓN managed to push ahead to a three-goal lead with five minutes left before halftime. Alicante regained control of a ball they had previously lost near their own goal. It landed with Dídac Talens, who wasted no time firing a quick counter and finding the back of the net.
Seconds after that, Burgos intercepted, but the shot landed at Marco Krimer’s feet. The visitors closed the gap to one just before the break. A turnover in the seven-goal attack by EÓN culminated in UBU scoring an empty-net goal just before halftime, cutting the lead to 15-14.
Entering the second half with renewed focus, EÓN built momentum again. Goals from Alberto González and David Jiménez, both from the seven-meter line, together with crucial saves by Marco Krimer, pushed Alicante back to a three-goal cushion and kept Burgos from scoring in the opening stretch of the second period.
As the match progressed, Burgos shifted gears and managed to edge closer by the midpoint of the second half. Alberto González remained a constant threat from the edge, repeatedly narrowing the gap and denying Alicante a comfortable margin.
Nevertheless, Burgos pressed on. The visitors sensed a window to seize control and pushed hard to secure a bigger lead. In those tense final moments, a few missed opportunities and a handful of Alicante exclusions tipped the balance. The scoreboard finished at 30-33 in favor of Burgos, underscoring the closeness of the contest and the small margins that dictated the outcome.
Five decisive minutes defined the result. In that stretch, Latorre’s squad demonstrated once again that they could contend with any opponent while keeping the match in the balance until the final whistle. The hard-fought performance left EÓN with the knowledge that they can challenge quality teams when the pieces align and execution is clean.
With the result, EÓN Horneo Alicante remained in sixth place with 12 points, a testament to their consistency even as the schedule grows tougher. The next Wednesday, December 6, the Alicante team will head to Barça Atlètic at the Joan Gamper Sports City for an 18:00 kickoff. On Saturday, December 9, they will return to Felicísimo Ruiz for another league test and to pursue the BM Cisne Colegio Los Sauces award.
DATA SHEET
EÓN Horno Alicante: Marco Krimer, Jorge Broto, David Jiménez (8), Santiago Camira (2), Martín Doldán (3), Bruno Ugrin, Gabriel Navarro (1), Jero Cartagena (1), Oriol Blanco (1), Julen Urruzola (3), Xabi Barreto (1), Alberto González (5), Dídac Talens (1), Matheus de Novais (2), Guillermo Fischer, Nacho Salgado (2).
UBU SAN PABLO BURGOS: İbrahim Moral, Alexandre Chan (6), Javier Espinosa (5), Benat Manterola, Jorge García, Rubén Fernández, Javier Domingo (3), Antonio Alegre (1), Jaime Gallardo (2), Ernesto López (1), Guilherme Linhares (2), Jaime González (5), Zakaria Rabhi, Pedro Henrique Rodrigues (3), Asier Pedroarena (5).
Partial parts: 1-2, 6-5, 7-8, 10-11, 13-11, 14-13. Second part: 16-13, 18-15, 20-18, 22-23, 25-27, 30-33.