A choral performance by Spain, with the entire team scoring with the exception of Anna Espar, allowed Miki Oca’s men to overcome Israel (22-5) and practically ensure their qualification for the round of 16, which will go through beating Kazakhstan, the weakest team in the group.
After the hesitant exercise in the opening game against the Netherlands, the Spanish were more focused, against a lesser rival, although they exuded good feelings, both in defense and attack.
The Spanish left Israel without scoring for seventeen minutes, between the middle of the second quarter and the final part of the quarter, and also took advantage of superiority actions, where they scored eight of the nine they had.
Beyond the 2-2 score in the first quarter, the game had no history. They left at the end of the first eight minutes with 5-2 and the Spanish widened their difference to 7-2 in the second quarter. Spain played well with its buoys (Maica García, Paula Leitón, Paula Camus) and was quick and practically infallible in superiority actions.
So the difference shot up to 12-3 at the break. In the third quarter, the defensive intensity increased, Spain did not concede a goal and managed to be twelve goals up (17-3), in a few minutes in which Oca gave Laura Ester minutes for Martina Terré in goal and the advantages continued on the rise against a rival who has raised his head in the international concert after the loss of Russia.
In the end, Spain won 22-5 and this Thursday they will have the chance against Kazakhstan to close their qualification for the round of 16. The top scorers of the match, with four, were the buoy Paula Camús and the pitcher Ariadna Ruiz, who was chosen the best player of the match.
22 – Spain: Land; Anna Espar (-), Nona Pérez (2), Paula Crespí (1), Elena Ruiz (2), Judith Forca (3), Maica García (1) -initial team-, Cristina Nogué (3), Ariadna Ruiz (4 , 1p), Pilar Peña (1), Paula Camús (4), Paula Leitón (1) and Laura Ester (ps)
5 – Israel: Peres; Levi (-), Bogachenko (1), Kordonskaia (-), Futorian (1), Strugo (1), Sasover (1), -equipo inicial- Farkash (-), Levinshtein (1), Menakerman (-), Markovsky (-), Yaacobi (-) y Katz (ps).
Referees: Stewart (USA) and Cooper (NZL). Eliminated: Farkash and Futorian.
Partials: 5-2, 5-1, 5-0 and 7-2.
Incidents: Match of the second day of the Fukuoka World Cup, group B. Played in the pool of the convention center.
