The Spaniards came back from 10-7 in the last set (3-5) but fell in the penalty shootout
Spain adds three consecutive World Cup silver medals in three finals played in the last four editions
MADRID, 28 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s water polo team lost this Friday the final of the World Championship in Fukuoka (Japan) against the Netherlands (17-16) in a fateful penalty shootout, after a great comeback in the last quarter, which turned Spain once again in runner-up in the world, in the third consecutive final lost in a World Cup event.
Spain dominated and suffered, they were able to overcome a 10-7 deficit with a 3-5 run in the last quarter and, in the penalty shootout, an error by Bea Ortiz (ball hit the post) and no save by Martina Terré made Spain stumble again against the Dutch, as in the first match of this Championship.
Far from the 7-6 with which the Netherlands beat Spain in the first game of both teams in this World Cup, this final was a different spectacle but with the same result, in favor of some Dutch who were, once again, the stone in the path.
Bitter silver for a Spain that was superior at times -they won the second and fourth sets- and that reached the penalties with better spirits, after leaving that 3 for the Dutch to nothing in just 7 minutes, but without being able to turn it into a success in the penalty shootout, where luck must be sought.
Despite the 5 goals scored by Judith Forca, top scorer in the final and in this World Cup with 23 goals in this World Championship, Spain needed more players to join the offensive party. Only 5 players managed to overcome the Dutch goalkeeper Laura Aarts, including Elena Ruiz who was chosen as the best player in the World Cup. Two great individual prizes, but the most important one was missing; gold.
And, in defence, Spain made too many mistakes that resulted in many inferiorities that the Oranje team took advantage of. In the end, the superiorities were balanced but Spain signed a 5/10 and the Netherlands a 7/12. The worst thing was seeing the Netherlands score 3 of their goals very easily, with errors in the mark.
In addition, Martina Terré could not shine except in a flight that disrupted a clear tap. A great championship for the Catalan goalkeeper, but the end was overshadowed by not being able to stop any of the penalties. Despite everything, Spain did not give up and after the 10-7 that seemed to leave everything sentenced, Paula Crespí appeared to, with a quick double, put the national team back in the fight for gold.
Bea Ortiz, with her only goal in a surprising shot at the short post, made it 10-10 on the scoreboard with four and a half minutes to go and opened a new final. In it, more equality and two more great goals from Judith Forca, the last one with 15 seconds to go to take the clash to those penalties where the icing on the cake could not be put.
Victory for the Netherlands, who revalidate the distant victory in the 1991 World Cup to add their second World Cup gold. And a silver medal, the third, for a Spain that knew how to draw strength from weakness but was left without its second gold, to link this silver to those of 2017 and 2019.
This final was to uneven the Netherlands and Spain, and the second World Cup was for the Dutch. Miki Oca’s men triumphed as hosts at the 2013 Barcelona event, but since then the three finals played (in the last four editions) are all silver medals, all runners-up.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: NETHERLANDS, 17 – SPAIN, 16 (6-6, at halftime and 12-12 at the end of the game, 5-4 in the penalty shootout).
–EQUIPMENT.
PAÍSES BAJOS: Arch (p); Wolves, Sleeking (3), van der Sloot (2), Keuning (1), van de Kraats (3), B. Rogge, Sevenich, Joustra (1), L. Rogge (2), Moolhuijzen y Ten Broek.
SPAIN: Terré (p); Nogué, Espar, Ortiz (1), Pérez, Crespí (2), E. Ruiz (2), Peña, Forca (5), Camús, García (2) and Leitón.
–PARTIALS: 4-3, 2-3, 3-1 and 3-5.
–REFEREES: Nenad Peris (CRO) and Alessia Ferrari (ITA).
–HALL: Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall B in Fukuoka (Japan).
