Spain caresses gold, but huge silver is hung

The women’s water polo team failed to reign ten years later. She touched gold after an epic comeback in the last six minutes of the game. Spain has to be killed several times, and the Netherlands had a mind of ice and the necessary persistence to achieve it. Without the United States in the final, Miki Oca’s team had a great opportunity that they could not take advantage of, against an ‘oranje’ team that adds their second title, the first of an extraordinary generationvery competitive in all the previous championships, in the absence of a brooch like this. Spain gets its third world silver medal and continues to extend its record, unmatched, even if it twisted the gesture as soon as it lost this World Cup final in Fukuoka 17-16 after penalties.

The Netherlands were infallible from the penalty spot. The five players scored while for Spain failed Bea Ortiz; His shot crashed into the post, which spat it out. “Nothing happens,” said Maica García as soon as the ‘oranje’ euphoria was unleashed, surely proud of how the ‘warriors’ had lived up to their name in a final set to frame, where they came back from three goals against and tied the game with 16 seconds to go. Only within the reach of the great teams and a huge and vintage player like Judith Forca, top scorer at the World Cups, who kept Spain afloat with her talent and determination (He scored five goals).

Maximum equality until the break

Before that tragic outcome, the meeting sailed on equality. In the first attack, Maica García had already prevailed over the Dutch buoy defender and had advanced the Women’s National Team (0-1). A declaration of intent from a Spain that tried to charge the game to its buoy in the face of constant pressure on Elena Ruiz and Judit Forca, the Spanish pitchers who had blown up Hungary and Australia in previous rounds. Her plan didn’t work out so well in first period. Judit Forca scored two goals taking advantage of superiority, but she, and a Spain with problems defending the Netherlands, saw how Van der Kraats, Sleeking, Rooge and Van der Sloot, from the buoy area, made it 4-3 in the first act. The Netherlands seemed to have the clearest ideas.

The equality was so great that the match developed like gusts of wind, as in the second set. Maica García, a versatile buoy, went to zone five to score 4-4 in a superiority, while two consecutive goals by Elena Ruiz from a penalty (one committed against Leitón, another against Espar), gave Spain a lead of two for the first time in the match. Leaving the Netherlands in the rear-view mirror was an impossible mission, although Martina Terré pulled out two miraculous hands, the ‘oranje’ superiorities made the difference. Infallible, either with Van der Kraats’ left foot or from the buoy with Joustra. With 6-6 it came to rest. The game in a handkerchief, everything to be decided, but Spain was loaded with exclusions.

From the boost from the Netherlands to the Forca recital

From the offensive game, with two 3-3 runs, they went on to control, to the defenses, where the Netherlands were better than Spain because they knew how to get superiorities, write them down (70%) while the ‘warriors’ were the opposite, they stuck in attack, where only Forca found a prize with the 6-7 in a counterattack and in a world-class definition. Later, the persona of the attack was lowered. Neither Anni Espar (0 of 5) nor Forca, who crashed against the posts and against the defense. Van der Sloot made it 8-7 and Keuning, from the buoy, made it 9-7. Spain neglected the sticks trying to stop the pitchers, and the Netherlands played the superiorities with intelligence, calm and success. Spain had to change many things to catch up with its rival.

The comeback was further complicated when Van der Kraats, with his golden left foot, made it 10-7 in the first attack, but Spain is made of quartz. If with 6:20 remaining they lost three goals, with 4:15 remaining they had equalized the game. Paula Crespí, the one from CN Terrassa, emerged from the water to score from position 5 on 10-8 in an open shot and with Vaseline she made it 10-9. And, in the next superiority, Bea Ortiz from the right zone scored 10-10. What seemed decided, was again the air. And so it went on. The Netherlands, through Sleeking, made it 11-10 that balanced Forca in a superiority. There were two minutes left and Rogge took the lead with a long shot (12-11). The nerves were chewed. And Spain had one last superiority with 45 seconds to go. The first shot went to a corner, and in the second Judit Forca scored with her soul and with that arm that she has as a cannon. The Netherlands, with 15 seconds, played it with a player goalkeeper but Spain threw out its arms. 12-12. Penalties. immense ending. Tragic outcome for a Spain that also enlarges its legend based on epic defeats.