Costa del Sol Málaga is the champion of the Iberdrola Guerreras League 2022/23 after winning the third game of the final against Atticgo BM Elche, 30-26, and achieving the title that was missing from their record. The team from Elche managed to take the lead in several sections of a match that decided the title, all or nothing at the ‘Javier Imbroda’ Sports City in Carranque, in Málaga, and even began the tie with a win in the first match, but the team from Malaga became strong at home to come back and leave the aggregate at 2-1.
Three blows from Estela Doiro in three shots marked the ground for the team from Malaga, who from the beginning wanted to deploy their entire arsenal, as well as the team from Elche, who went from 5-2 to 7-7 in the first twelve frantic minutes. The powerful arm of the Brazilian Alexandra Do Nascimento for Elche, the quality in the definition of Espe López for Málaga and both goalkeepers, Merche Castellanos and Nicole Morales, acquired their share of prominence in a first half as even as expected.
Atticgo Elche forgot the initial setback, when they found themselves down three goals, and managed to take the lead (12-13), while the locals lamented the injury to Isa Medeiros due to a blow to the hand. The Costa del Sol coach, Suso Gallardo, asked for a time-out to demand defensive intensity from his players because he saw that the script was reversed with Elche two goals ahead on the verge of half-time, but a meteoric 3-0 run put the Costa del Sol in new with advantage (16-15).
As demonstrated in the two previous matches, this best-of-three final was going to end as it began, with a minimal difference between the two teams and facing the last 20 minutes tied at 19. Ten shots ended up on the post during the match, one of them from a seven-meter shot missed by Elche that left the score 25-23 in favor of the malagueñas, who saw the long-awaited victory closer, even more so with a goal from Espe López .
Then came the final sprint. Rocío Rojas scored the 27th goal and Rocío Campigli the 28th to reach +5, an insurmountable distance for Cleche with three minutes to go, so the stands began to celebrate what was already inevitable, a victory for Malaga. Danila So Delgado, from Balonmano Elche, took the trophy for the best player of the match for her seven goals, although Espe López from Malacitana (nine goals) and international goalkeeper Merche Castellanos and her 13 saves deserve special mention.
Ecstasy flooded the track of the Carranque sports center, completely full to witness the first league championship of the Costa del Sol. The black and white ‘panthers’ reached the greatest sporting achievement in their history, the Iberdrola Warrior League, the only trophy missing from their showcases after winning two Queen’s Cups, the European EHF Cup and the Super Cup.
