Spain faced a high-stakes moment in a contest that could shape their path toward major stages. The objective was clear: a pathway to the Main Tour, the reward that could redefine the season. But the Spanish side could not sustain the pressure, ending with a 33-33 draw against Austria and losing their chance to advance. March will bring opportunities to scout venues for Paris 2024, a key step ahead of the Olympics.
The SAP Arena hosted a dramatic 40×20 clash where every stage mattered from the opening whistle. Austria struck first with a seven-meter throw assisted into the center by Wagner, while Aleix Goméz of Barça replied with a precise seven-meter finish to level the score shortly after.
Zivkovic and Bilyk, the stars for Austria, extended the gap early, but Aleix answered again with a clever pass from Ian Tarrafeta, injecting life into Spain’s offense as Pajovic’s squad kept adding options. Tarrafeta brought notable energy to the Spanish attack while the Austrians pressed forward with determination.
On the opposite end, Spain’s defense held firm under pressure. A well-timed steal set up a fast break that Casado converted to equalize at 7-7. Spain attempted improvements with a 5:1 defensive shift featuring Alex Dujshebaev, yet Viran Morros and Tarrafeta endured an early setback that gave Central Europe renewed momentum, though their advantage remained modest.
Ribera urged his men to rely on disciplined defense to secure possession as the team faced a +3 deficit under light pressure, prompting the first timeout. The words seemed to galvanize the defense and, with renewed legs, Spain managed to rebalance the scoreboard. The tempo slowed at times, with periods of few goals, before a breakthrough pass from Tarrafeta and a decisive finish by Alex Dujshebaev started to tilt the momentum in Spain’s favor.
With the interval approaching, Red from Tarrafeta’s connection and a dominant finish from Bilyk kept Austria in contention. The second half began with Spain surging ahead, and Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas grew more reliable between the posts, giving the Hispanics the initiative, even if the margin remained slim.
In a tightly contested final stretch, Austria reclaimed the lead at 26-27 as misfortune struck Ribera with an injury. Casado, one of the standout performers of the match, also limped off, followed by Miguel Sánchez-Migallón and Kauldi Odriozola stepping in. The setback did not break Spain’s spirit, and Austria maintained a slender edge as the clock ticked down.
Bolstered by Bilyk’s steady composure, Austria created a late advantage that could have sealed the outcome. Yet Pajovic’s defense held firm, and Spain exploited Herburger’s absence to level the score at 31-31. Two crucial stops from Sergey Hernández opened the door for two dangerous Spanish counters. Dani Dujshebaev missed on the initial attempt, but a second break finished by Dani Fernández and converted by Aleix Gómez shifted the balance into Spain’s favor once more.
As the clock wound down, a new seven-meter opportunity emerged for Spain. Aleix converted to demonstrate that his best form had returned. With only twenty seconds remaining, Pajovic signaled for a timeout to set up a final play. Spain advanced with Garciandia ready, but the ball sailed high and qualification for the Main Tour slipped away. The final whistle sounded as Garciandia’s shot failed to drop home, sealing a hard-fought end to Spain’s tournament run.
Data sheet:
33 – Spain: Pérez de Vargas; Aleix Gómez (8, 4p), Maqueda (1), Dani Dujshebaev (1), Peciña (1), Casado (2) and Ángel Fernández (3) -starting team- Sergey Hernández (ps), Alex Dujshebaev (1), Figueras (2), Garciandia (3), Serdio (2), Cañellas (-), Morros (-), Tarrafeta (7) and Dani Fernández (2)
33 – Austria: Mostl; Weber (4, 2p), Zivkovic (5), Hutecek (3), Bilyk (7), Frimmel (4) and Wagner (5) -starting team- Hausle (ps), Mahr (-), Bozovic (2), Belos (-), Herburger (3), Mittendorfer (), Dambock (), Nigg () and Miskovez ()
Take points every five minutes: 2-3, 4-6, 9-11, 11-14, 15-15 and 15-17 (First Half) 19-19, 23-22, 25-24, 27-28, 29-31 and 33-33 (Final)
Referees: Mazeika and Gatelis (LTU). Spanish player Alex Dujshebaev was sent off with a direct red card (m.27). They also sent off Morros, Tarrafeta, Serdio and Maqueda for two minutes for Spain; and Zivkovic, Frimmel and Hutecek for Austria.
Events: The match, which coincided with the third and last day of Group B of the first stage of the European Championship held in Germany, was played in front of 13,293 spectators at the SAP Arena in Mannheim. [Cited from Teledeporte coverage of the event on January 16, 2024, for archival context.]
In a dramatic late sequence, Aleix Gómez converted a seven-meter to underscore that his best form had returned. With twenty seconds left, Pajovic asked for time to craft the final move. Spain pushed, Garciandia tried, but the shot rose high and the bid for a Main Tour qualification fell short, closing a tense chapter in this campaign.
End!
Spain drew with Austria and stayed out of the main round despite everything [HispanosRTVE].
Get up to those faces. The squad is considered by many as the strongest generation in Spanish handball history, and this match was only a milestone on the road to future ambitions. [Televised by Teledeporte coverage; archival note.]