Spanish Junior Handball Team Conquers Third Consecutive European Under-20 Championship
The 2004/05 generation of Spanish handball is making history, not only in Spain but globally. After winning the title of European and World champion in the youth category in 2022 and 2023, respectively, the team has achieved their third consecutive title with the European Under-20 Championship.
Immaculate Performance
The Spanish team’s performance in the AND Junior European was almost flawless. Their only defeat was against Portugal, who they defeated by a single goal in the main phase. However, in the final, they did not give the Portuguese team a chance, leaving the match almost over at halftime with a seven-goal lead.
Textbook Defense and Immeasurable Attack
The Spanish defense, led by Grau, tied up a Portugal team without ideas, not even taking their goalkeeper off the court to attack with an extra player. The Spanish attack, led by Ferrán Castillo, was unstoppable, with Petar Cikusa, Víctor Romero, and Xavi González providing support.
Portugal Overwhelmed
Portugal was overwhelmed, but they also did not know how to stop the offensive onslaught of Spain, commanded wonderfully by Castillo, who finished the final with 11 goals to his credit without a single failure. Petar Cikusa was also impressive, with Víctor Romero, Xavi González, and Ian Barrufet providing crucial support.
Half-Time Score Reflects First Half
The score of 13-20 at halftime was a faithful reflection of what was seen in the first half. However, the Portuguese team did not mount a comeback against Spain, thanks to the good work of its best player in attack, Oliveira (11 goals).
Spanish Team Celebrates Brilliant Victory
The Portuguese team made up for the result in the final stretch against a Spanish team led by Javier Fernández ‘Jabato’, who gave minutes to all his players in the final minutes to celebrate a brilliant victory. Another title for another golden generation of Spanish handball has been secured, with the ‘Hispanos Junior’ already thinking about the next tournament: the 2025 Junior World Cup.