The Spanish handball team felt the sting of its first defeat in the Golden League this Saturday as Denmark claimed a 34-29 victory in the match known as the Hispanics clash. In the first half, a collision involving the Danish goalkeeper and Barcelona’s Emil Nielsen was noted but did not alter the flow of the game.
Ahead of the recent World Cup semi finals in Poland and Sweden, where Spain faced the Scandinavians, international Joan Cañellas had warned that Denmark would always have quality players waiting on the bench. He spoke of a depth that could trouble any opponent, a message that proved prophetic as Saturday’s game unfolded in the Golden League.
The Spaniards found themselves confronting a wall early on, a wall built by Nielsen who kept Spain at bay with early heroics and a frontline that struggled to find openings. The defense was under relentless pressure, and the bench strong points of the Danish side had an immediate impact.
Spain’s campaign looked fragile as Aleix Gómez and Ferrán Solé converted back-to-back penalties, but the first thirty minutes closed with a narrow advantage for Denmark. The Spanish attackers could not sustain momentum, and Nielsen’s actions masked a deeper issue for Jordi Ribera’s team: a defensive scheme that could not reliably slow the Danes.
From the opening, the Spanish defense struggled to disrupt an aggressive Danish attack. A 5-1 formation that Ribera briefly used gave way to a 6-0 option as the minutes wore on, yet neither structure produced the stability required to stop the visitors from probing through the wings. Danish players used the gaps created by open spaces in the Spanish defense to launch fast counters and accurate shots from outside the arc.
When Mikkel Hansen found space, the Spanish defense paid the price. If Hansen did not exploit every inch of the back line, Hans Mensing did with precision, delivering a run of goals that widened the gap. Spain could not settle into a defensive rhythm, and Denmark repeatedly found success from the outside as well as through sustained pressure near the six-meter line. Centre Lukas Jørgensen, who scored nine times, exposed the vulnerabilities in Spain’s approach and punished any misstep by the goalkeeper.
The scoreboard quickly reflected this dangerous dynamic, landing at a troubling seven-goal deficit for Spain as the half ended, nineteen to twelve. The second period opened with an even harsher picture, as Denmark extended the lead to twenty-two to thirteen. The Spaniards faced a near insurmountable challenge, yet they did not surrender. They tightened their defense and began to carve out better opportunities in transitions.
With renewed energy, Spain began chipping away at the deficit. Fourteen minutes from the end, the gap had reduced to four goals, twenty-six to twenty-two, sparking hope that a comeback might be possible. Central defender Agustín Casado and winger Imanol Garciandia played pivotal roles, along with the young Jan Gurri, one of the promising talents the Spaniards believe will shape the future. The defense, which had looked porous in the first half, showed marked improvement as the game progressed.
As Spain grew stronger, a costly moment emerged when Casado received a dismissal for a red card worthy offense, leaving Ribera’s side short-handed for a crucial portion of the match. A standout save by Niklas Landin after Nielsen left the court in the second half helped Denmark maintain its grip. The turning point came when Chema Márquez struck and ended any hope of a comeback for the Spaniards, leaving the final score at thirty-four to twenty-nine in favor of Denmark.
Looking ahead, Spain would try to rebound on Sunday with a 16:45 local time match against the hosts Norway, a game that will conclude the team’s Golden League campaign.
Data sheet
34 to 29 Denmark fielded Nielsen in goal, with Johan Hansen, Gidsel, Saugstrup, Mollgaard, Lauge, and Jakobsen among the starting side. Substitutes included Niklas Landin, Kirkelokke, Mensah Larsen, Mikkel Hansen, Jorgensen, Damgaard, Mensing, Hald, and Madsen.
29 Spain featured Sergey Hernandez in goal, with Odriozola, Garciandia, Casado, Dani Dujshebaev, Ángel Fernández, and Figueras among the starting lineup. Substitutes included Pérez De Vargas, Peciña, Solé, Aleix Gómez, Gedeón Guardiola, Sánchez-Migallón, Chema Márquez, Dani Fernández, Gurri, Djordje Cikusa, and Petar Cikusa.
Scores were exchanged at five-minute intervals: 2-2, 6-3, 9-6, 11-8, 15-11, 19-12, then 22-13, 24-16, 26-20, 28-23, 31-26, and finally 34-29.
Officials were Kleven and Jorum from Norway. Denmark withdrew Lauge and Hald for two-minute penalties; Spain cited Casado, Odriozola, Sánchez-Migallón, and Solé for penalties at different moments.
Events: The match coincided with the second day of the Golden League and took place at Sotra Arena in Straume, Norway.