The Spanish men’s team had no rival in Romania, surpassed it with an overwhelming 24-7, and qualified to play a semi-final of the European Championship in Croatia on Sunday, the fourth in a row and eighth in its history, on the way to the only gold ever. resists him. On the rebound, the continental title would give them an Olympic place for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (they would also obtain it if they reach the final and the other finalist is Greece or Hungary – already qualified for the semi-final by beating Serbia, 15-4 -) .
David Martín’s team will face the winner of Italy-Montenegro, which will be played tonight in Zagreb, with the transalpines as favorites. Settebello is an old acquaintance, a former bete noire to which the measure has been taken: in the three previous ones with a medal at stake, Spain always won, in the 2022 World Cup for gold, the 2022 European Championship for bronze and the World Cup 2023 for gold.
Surely, whether it is Italy or Montenegro, Spain will not have as easy a time as against Romania, the most affordable rival in the quarterfinals. Martín’s players, faithful to their style of defensive intensity and speed in attacks, imposed his superiority and drowned the Romanians with a devastating 6-2 in the first quarter.
To achieve this, they counted on the leadership of Álvaro Granados, author of three goals, which ended up being six in an impeccable 6/7. This time he also did not need the decisive contribution of Unai Aguirre, despite the fact that he was accurate with 6 stops in 10 Romanian shots (a high 60% success rate).
The Spanish ruling was certified in the second quarter with another overwhelming partial, 4-2, to bring the score to 10-4 at halftime. The second half was a scandal: 14-3 for a total of 24-7. Spain never had it so easy to go to the semifinals.
Spain: Unai Aguirre (Edu Lorrio); Munárriz (3), Granados (6, 1p), Sanahuja (4), De Toro, Marc Larumbe (2, 1p), Biel (1), Cabanas (2, 1p), Tahull (4), Perrone (1), Mallarach, Bustos (1).
Romania: Tic (Dragusin); Belenyesi (2), Lutescu (-), Fulea (-), Vranceanu (-), Prioteasa (-), Tepelus (1), Neamtu (1), Colodrovschi (1), Georgescu (1), Iudean (-), Vancsik (1).
Referees: Bourges (Fra) and Copic (Cro). Eliminated: Tepelus.
Partials: 6-2, 4-2, 7-1, 7-2.
Piscina: Mladost de Zagreb pools.
