Easy early shift for Spain

The Spanish men’s team unlucky elimination at the London Olympic Games' quarter-finals against France has now been forgotten - by beating Portugal 34:20 (16:9) on Thursday afternoon in the opener of their EHF EURO 2014 qualification campaign, they made the 5722 spectators in Seville jump with joy.

The key to success was the opening stage and the whole first half, when the rock-solid defence including outstanding goalkeeper Arpad Sterbik only allowed nine goals.

Spain had started with a 6:2 lead and put enormous pressure on Portugal. Especially their ever dangerous counter-attacks by wings Alberto Rocas or Viktor Tomas really hurt the Portuguese, punishing every mistake with a goal – so the half-time result already stood at 16:9.

And the gap increased constantly to exactly double the half-time margin – 14 goals in the end – as Portugal resigned very early and Spain kept their speed and precision high, although coach Valero Rivera started a huge rotation after the break.

Apart from Sterbik and young Angel Montoro, Alberto Entrerrios set the biggest signs after the experienced back court player had not been nominated for the Olympic Games.

Together with Rocas he became Spanish top scorer with six goals, Bruno Moreira netted four times for the Portuguese team.

Final games of round 1 of the EHF EURO 2014 qualification on Thursday:

Group 2:

Germany vs. Montenegro - 1 Nov, 19:00 hrs. local time in Mannheim

Group 3:

France vs. Lithuania - 1 Nov, 19:00 hrs. local time in Rouen

Group 5:

Sweden vs. Ukraine - 1 Nov, 19:15 hrs. local time in Lund