BURGAS I Spain falls to Croatia and will play for bronze on Saturday against Hungary
Spain will play this coming Saturday the match for the bronze of the European U19 men's water polo championship in Burgas (Bulgaria) after falling this Friday in the semifinals against Croatia (10-14). Chus Martín's men will face Hungary on Saturday at 17:30 local time (one hour less in the peninsula), who in turn lost to Montenegro by a tight 6-5. Go for bronze, team!
It was not to be. The team managed by Chus Martín started off conceding a 0-2 that, due to the result and the rival, transported us to the Olympic 'ghost' of Paris, and that had a complicated first quarter (2-4, with two goals from a lethal Susic). They had no choice but to start to come back as soon as possible, like their elders at the Games.
Far from it, at the start of the second quarter the Croatians increased their advantage and everything became complicated (2-5). Spain was unable to plug its defensive gap and Croatia continued to punish Dídac García's goal until reaching the long break with a 4-7 against.
Although not everything was lost, the game was very complicated for our interests against a Croatia that was doing everything right. The Balkan team maintained a 2-3 goal difference while the clock was running out for a Spain that was running out of options.
In the last quarter (with a 7-12 against the third, with a psychological goal from Cuzzi two seconds from the end) they had to 'burn the bridges'. But there was no time and, above all, no arguments. Now they have to think about the match for the bronze...
RFEN communication. Photo: A shot by the Spanish player Tomás Perrone, author of a goal against Croatia / (c) European Aquatics
