TM Benidorm walked onto the floor with hopes high, but the night belonged to La Rioja’s goalkeeper Kristof Palasics, whose standout performance helped his team secure a comfortable victory. The result underscored ongoing issues for the Benidorm camp, even as they fought hard to keep the scoreline close.
In Alicante, the home side had only one league win on their own floor, a reminder that finishing plays in attack remained their Achilles’ heel. Their inability to convert chances dampened an otherwise impressive display from their goalkeeper, who kept the deficit from widening further.
From the opening whistle, La Rioja dictated the tempo with tight defense and Palasics delivering a stream of crucial saves. It didn’t take long for Logroño to threaten the scoreboard after a rapid 1-4 surge, prompting a timeout by local coach Sergio Carballeira in the sixth minute as the visitors seized early control.
The visitors extended their advantage to five goals early on, but TM Benidorm slowly clawed back into the game. Stopping runs and sharp stops by Samu Ibáñez, paired with a temporary dip in Rioja’s pace, kept the match within reach at 4-6 as the first half progressed.
Logroño continued to press with cohesion and discipline, while Palasics anchored the defense. The Spaniards from Logroño showed why they are considered one of the league’s formidable sides as the first-half horn sounded, leaving a visible gap in the Benidorm defense before the break.
As the second quarter unfolded, Palasics reappeared at critical moments, sustaining the lead and frustrating Benidorm’s attempts to close the gap. The home team’s defense tightened further, yet the Logroño attack remained precise, maintaining a steady line and forcing the pace with calculated shots.
The halftime tally reflected the visitors’ edge, with Palasics and his teammates carrying a healthy margin. The scene shifted after the break as TM Benidorm tried to alter the dynamics with a more aggressive defensive stance. Yet Logroño answered with timely responses and relentless transition play, keeping the advantage at a comfortable distance.
Benidorm’s efforts were buoyed briefly by Ibáñez’s saves, but Palasics returned to the court with the kind of form that makes the difference in a tight contest. The gap hovered around six to eight goals for much of the second half, a margin that proved difficult for the locals to erase.
Late in the game, the contest drifted toward a more controlled finish. Logroño’s defense frustrated efforts to mount a late surge, while their own counterpunches kept Benidorm from mounting a sustained comeback. The result was a clear, decisive win for the visitors, with the scoreline reflecting the dominance of Palasics and his colleagues on both ends of the floor.
The match, part of the Plenitude Asobal League’s tenth round, drew a crowd of about 700 spectators to the Palau d’Esports L’Illa in Benidorm. The evening highlighted the contrasting moods in the two camps: a triumph for Logroño La Rioja and a reminder for Benidorm that finishing in attack still needs polish. The competition’s depth and the players’ individual battles on the court provided drama until the final whistle. (Source: league records and post-match summaries from regional sports outlets.)
Lineups and notable statistics reflected the balance of the night. TM Benidorm featured Ibáñez, Vojovic, Sempere, Valles, Moscariello, Roca, and Ramiro Martínez among the top performers, with contributions from Barceló, Zhukov, Oliver, Durovic, Leo Alonso, De Angelis, and Witkowski noted in the final assessment. Logroño La Rioja was led by Palasics with support from Eduardo Ortiz, El Korchi, Zaja, Rolando Urios, Ponciano, Martí Soler, and contributions from Palomino, David Cadarso, Xavi Tua, Edu Cadarso, Preciado, and Mohamed Aly. The game also featured a sequence of point-by-point scoring highlights in five-minute increments that showcased the ebb and flow of possession and pressure. (Source: official match sheet and game-day reporting.)
Officials for the clash were Luis Ignacio Colmenero Guillén and Víctor Rollán Martín. The event was marked by one-sided stats and a clear demonstration of how crucial the late-season form can be in shaping a team’s trajectory for the coming fixtures. (Source: refereeing notes and league communications.)