Spain’s women’s handball team faced a tough hurdle in its bid to reach the quarterfinals after a 30-22 defeat to the Czech Republic on Friday at the World Cup. To keep advancing, they now must beat the Netherlands on Sunday at 16:30.
The scoreline underscored the Czech side’s control, with goalkeeper Petra Kudlackova organizing the defense and winger Marketa Jerabkova finishing with nine goals to pace the attack, delivering a clear defeat to the Spanish squad known as the Guerreras.
The Spanish coach, Ambros Martín, recognized the Czech team’s physical edge and attempted to energize Spain’s play by deploying an aggressive lineup of players. He moved to strengthen the backcourt by signing right-back Mireya González, trusting that winger Paulina Pérez would bring greater mobility to the frontline.
Despite a stubborn effort to disrupt the Czech shooters, Spain could not translate pressure into consistent scoring chances. The attack struggled to threaten the Czech goal, with the ball struggling to reach the wingers and the centers Lysa Tchaptchet and Kaba Gassama frequently hemmed in by tight Czech coverage. The lack of an effective route to goal through static play frustrated the Guerreras, highlighting the need for better ball movement to free the wide players.
Ambros Martín’s team persisted and carved out chances as Spain pressed the Czech defense. They forced Kudlackova into several key saves, and the first half ended with ten interceptions by the Czech goalkeeper, a sign of the home team’s defensive intensity in a tense opening period.
The rapid Czech transition game posed a continual challenge. Spain’s defense, led by Maitane Etxeberria and Paula Arcos, fought to slow the counterattack, but any hope of containment was undermined by the Czech team’s speed and accuracy in transition, especially when the game opened up in space.
In a moment of urgency, Spain briefly shifted tactical gears, attempting to maximize numerical advantage and apply pressure through changes in personnel and formation. Paulina Pérez stood out as the most effective attacker for Spain, and her form kept the score within reach as the clock ticked toward the midway point of the second half.
However, even with Pérez delivering valuable goals, Spain’s defense again showed vulnerabilities: gaps in tracking Czech shooters and lapses in handling Jerabkova’s players, who repeatedly found space for shots from the back line. The imbalance in the offense and defense contributed to a difficult night for the Guerreras, culminating in a 30-22 final that reflected a strong Czech performance throughout the match.
The result created a pressure scenario for Spain, who must now secure a win against the Netherlands to keep their knockout hopes alive in the next round, tying the day’s outcome to the broader event schedule of the championship, held across multiple Nordic and Baltic venues. The match, played at Arena Nord in Fredrikshavn, Denmark, remains a key turning point in the tournament for the Guerreras as they seek a path forward in a highly competitive field. (attribution: World Cup tournament report, Denmark 2019)
Data sheet:
30 – Czech Republic: Kudlackova; Zachova (2), Sustackova (2), Jerabkova (9), Cholevova (8), Mala (7) and Jestribkova (-) -starting team- Novotna (ps), Striskova (-), Desortova (-), Stellnerova (-), Kuxova (1), Julie Frankova (1), Anna Frankova (-), Dresslerova (-) and Kovarova (-)
22 – Spain: Zoqbi; Paulina Pérez (6, 5p), Etxeberria (1), Tchaptchet (-), Lara González (-), Arcos (3) and Sole López (4) -starting team- Castellanos (ps), Marta López (3), Campos (1), Arderius (1p), Somaza (1), González de Garibay (-), So Delgado (-), Gassama (2) and Alicia Fernández (-)
Score a goal every five minutes: 1-1, 5-3, 7-5, 8-6, 9-8, 13-9 (First Half); 17-11, 19-13, 20-16, 23-17, 27-19 and 30-22 (Final).
Referees: Hansen and Madsen (DEN). Czech Dresslerova and Mala were sanctioned with two-minute suspensions.
Events: Stage IV of the second stage of the World Cup held in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The match, scheduled on the group’s second day, took place at Arena Nord in Fredrikshavn, Denmark.