REVIEW: Day 2 at the Junior European Beach Handball Championships was a truly thrilling one with all but one semi-final being decided only in the shoot-out
Croatia, Russia play for gold; Spain and Hungary reach women's final
The Spanish under-19 women's national team has reached the final at the European Beach Handball Championships in Lloret de Mar, while the host's under-19 men's team has to be satisfied with the match for third place on Sunday.
Day 2 of the junior competition was once more loaded with action-packed matches, as the preliminary round concluded and the semi-finals were played.
In the women's event Spain had finished the group phase without losing a single set, and they are yet to lose one, as they also got rid of event debutants Germany 2:0 in the semi-final.
However, the final is likely to be a thrilling affair, as defending champions Hungary also went unharmed through the preliminary round, but then needed the shoot-out to hold down Russia 2:1 in the semi-final.
In the men's event even both semi-finals went into shoot-out. Defending champions Hungary had come first in the group phase, but in the semi-final Russia proved too strong and won the match 2:1.
Also in the second semi-final not the first-ranked team from the preliminary round, Spain, prevailed, but the runners-up from Group A, Croatia, eventually celebrated a 2:1 win.
The Men's and Women's 19 European Beach Handball Championships continue this Sunday with the matches for third place both events at 15:00 hrs, the women's final at 16:00 hrs and the men's final at 17:00 hrs.
A live stream and a live ticker is available.
TEXT:
EHF / ts