Hispanics appeal to their rush to hunt the 'ogre' again

Hispanics appeal to their 'high' to hunt the 'ogre' again

The Spanish team seeks the handball World Cup final against a Denmark wanting revenge

MADRID, 26 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish men's handball team will seek this Friday (6:00 p.m. / Teledeporte) to qualify for the World Cup final that is being played in Sweden and Poland, an objective that is presented as demanding as it once again faces the fearsome Denmark, but the one that is measured without complexes.

A year later, the 'Hispanics' are back on time for their appointment with the fight for the medals. Since the arrival of Jordi Ribera in charge, this has practically become a tradition, which was only skipped at the 2019 World Championship. But since then, five tournaments and five semifinals, a regularity that once again demonstrates the competitive value of a team and a coaching staff.

Spain showed it again in some very tough quarterfinals against Norway, where everything seemed lost before winning it in two actions, by Dani Dujshebaev, to force extra time at the last second, and Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, a save to seal the pass without having to go to 7 meters, another example of his ability to grow in the face of adversity. And the next one is of the highest level, although now she comes excited, euphoric and without complexes because he already knows that he can overcome it.

Denmark had become a kind of 'ogre' for the Spanish team when they met again last year with the prize of a final in between, the European one. However, Jordi Ribera's men were close to perfection and prevailed 29-25, a defeat and elimination for which a team that is showing its usual strength in the tournament will want to take revenge.

The current double world champion continues to be one of the great favorites for the title, which, if she wins it, would go down in the history of this sport because no one has won three consecutive crowns. At the moment, his time in the championship is being authoritative, with only one stain, the draw in the Main Round against Croatia (32-32), but his display in the quarterfinals against Hungary (40-23) was a warning of his potential. to extend their impeccable unbeaten streak in World Cups where they have not lost a game since the round of 16 of 2017.

Nikolaj Jakobsen's men maintain the hallmarks of recent years, in which the Danes have become one of the best teams in this sport, starting with a rocky and extremely physical defense, guarded by a Niklas Landin willing to live a key duel with a sensational Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas in goal.

For this reason, as always and as it worked a year ago when the 'Hispanics' reduced the offensive aspect, reading the defense well and avoiding losses that launch the lethal counterattacks of the current champion will be essential to have options and prevent Denmark from taking off in the marker because that's when he usually loosens up the most in his game.

In attack, the figure of Mikkel Hansen continues to be relevant despite his 35 years, both in scoring (36 goals) and in the distribution of play (31 assists) and with a better distribution of his minutes on the track, and he is also finding accompaniment in the young (23) Mathias Gidsel, who averages more than seven goals per game, and by the even younger (21), Simon Bogetoft Pytlick, a central defender who is shining with his own light and has accumulated another 36 goals.

In addition, between the three they accumulate a threatening 39/50 from nine meters that will require maximum attention and intensity from the Spanish defense to increase the options of a pass to the third World Cup final in history, which may have an extra prize since if the another finalist is France would automatically give the ticket to Paris 2024.

SPAIN: Corrales (P), Perez de Vargas (P), Guardiola, A.Fernandez, Sole, Canellas, A.Dujshebaev, D.Dujshebaev, Maqueda, Casado, Figueras, Pecina, Odriozola, Sanchez-Migallon, Serdio, Garciandia and D.Fernandez

DINAMARCA: N.Landin (P), K.Moller (P), Hansen, Gidsel, Pytlick, M.Landin, Kirkelokke, Jakobsen, Lauge Schmidt, Saugstrup, Lindberg, Mollgard, Mensah Larsen, Jorgensen, Holm, Á Plogv Hansen, Damgaard, Hald Jensen, Hoxer Hangaard and KL Moller.

--PAVILLION: ERGO Gdansk Arena.

--TIME: 6:00 p.m./Teledeporte.