After racing to an early advantage over Benidorm in the first half, the Huesca squad pushed forward in the second period and pressed hard to seal the win. A late surge nearly delivered victory, but a last-minute miscue allowed Benidorm to cling to life just long enough for a final counter. The opportunity to snatch the result slipped away at the final whistle, and Benidorm benefited from a moment of hesitation that opened the door for a dramatic finish.
Benidorm began slowly, unsure offensively and plagued by pauses in possession. Yet goalkeeper Robert kept Bada Huesca at bay, preventing a clear margin from forming on the scoreboard. Although Latorre’s defense dictated much of the early play, the local side gradually found a rhythm in attack. Parker and Iván Rodríguez acted as the primary scoring threats, steadily building a four-goal lead for Benidorm. Only Nieto Marcos managed to crack the Benidorm defense, aided by a few home-side lapses that briefly steadied the Huesca ship. The first period concluded with Huesca trailing by four, though they remained within striking distance at 15-13 as the teams retreated to regroup.
In the second quarter, Bada Huesca showed notable improvement. Montoya featured at center, and Benidorm’s previously organized defense began to show signs of strain. As the minutes ticked by, Huesca grew more confident and purposeful in their ball movement, cutting through gaps with sharper execution.
Huesca managed to equalize in the 12th minute, levelling at 20-20 thanks to Carmona’s efficiency and, crucially, Arnau’s early launch play that reactivated the attack. The game started to tilt as Huesca found cohesion in transition and Benidorm’s defense wrestled with the mounting pressure.
Latorre halted the action after a 21-22 deficit gave way to a renewed contest. From that moment, the match swung like a coin toss, with neither side able to claim a solid advantage for long. Huesca edged in front again with a 28-29 lead with only a minute and a half remaining, but Benidorm, cool under pressure, steadied themselves and found energy in the closing moments, provoking an anxious finish for the hosts.
With the clock winding down, Parker earned a late penalty, forcing a decision in the final seconds. Nickevic stepped up and converted, giving Benidorm a lifeline and feeding the growing belief among the fans that a European dream could still be within reach for the squad. The moment underscored the intensity of the encounter and the resilience both teams showed in the final exchanges.
DATA SHEET:
BENIDORM: (15+15): Robert; Iker Serrano (3), Lignieres (2), Parker (4), Iván Rodríguez (5), Nacho Valles (3) and Nikcevic (6, 3p) -starting with seven- Santi Barceló, Vainstein (1), Benito, Oliver (3), Álvaro Ruiz, Grau, Sempere and Edu Calle (3).
BADA HUESCA: (13+16): Arguillas; Adrià Pérez, Pere Arnau (5), Rodrigo Beniites, Gücek (1), Hackbarth (5, 1p) and Nieto Marcos (5) -starting from seven-, Montoya (4), Carmona (3), Ian Moya (1), Lamelas, Sergio Pérez (3), Malo (1), Joao Pinto (1) and De Almeida (ps).
REFEREES: Fernández Molina and Murillo Castro (Andalusian School). Excluded are Iván Rodríguez, Santi Barceló, Álvaro Ruiz, Calle, Oliver and Lignieres for Benidorm and Adriá Pérez, Gucek (2), Ian Moya, Benites and Nieto Marcos for Bada Huesca. Adriá Pérez received a red card in the 15th minute of the second half.
EVERY 5 MINUTES MARK: 2-2, 5-4, 8-6, 11-8, 14-11, 15-13 –rest- 17-15, 20-18, 22-22, 25-24, 28-27 and 30-29.
EVENTS: The 20th Matchday of the Asobal League was postponed last February due to the covid epidemic in the Bada Huesca squad and the match was played at Palau d’Esports L’Illa in Benidorm.
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