WHC 3rd Place Match: Poland manage to beat Spain after extra times

World Handball Championship – 3rd place match:

In the battle for bronze medal Poland manage to come back and to beat Spain after extra time 29-28 (13-13). After their surprise loss against Qatar in semifinals, Poland manages to take their 3^rd bronze medal in history of World Handball Championships.

Poland better open the game and in 9’ they lead with 5-1 mostly because Spain made a lot of technical mistakes and because Spain didn’t have luck in attack due to some shots hitting the post. As the game progress Spain slowly starting to reduce Poland lead and in 23’ Garcia scored for the first draw in this game 11-11. Until the end of first half game was played goal by goal and neither team manage to make any goal difference. Second half started similar as first end – goal by goal. First two goals lead Spain manage to get in 42’ when Tomas scored two quick goals for 19-17.  In 51’ Spain extended their lead to +4, but then Poland tightens their defense and start melting Spain lead. In 55:41 Szyba scored for -1, but soon in next attack Entrerrios bring Spain back on +2. Real drama happened in last 2 minutes of the game in which Spain enter with two goals lead (24-22). Krajewski scored for -1 in 57:48 but in next attack Rivera get Spain back to +2 from penalty shot. In 58:18 Poland hero Szyba scored again for Poland -1, Spain had the last attack but in 59:39 Maqueda shot hits the post. Poland had the last 20 second and in 59:59 Szyba scored another 9m shot for 24-24 and extra times. In extra time Syprzak took Szyba role and score 3 goals from Poland 5. Poland scored last goal in 69:29, Spain got the last attack but they couldn’t score for another extra time.

For Poland Michal Szyba with 8 goals (8/12; 67%) and Kamil Syprzak with 6 goals (6/7; 86%) were the best players. Their goalkeeper Szmal was on only 10 saves (10/38; 26%). In Spain best scorer was Victor Tomas who scored 7 goals (7/8; 88%) and Valero Rivera scored 5 (5/6; 83%). Their goalkeeper Perez de Vargas got slightly better day then Szmal, he manages to get 15 saves (15/44; 34%).

For Poland this is their 3^rd bronze medal, last time they won was in Croatia (2009), their best place in World Handball Champions is silver medal from Germany (2007) when they lost against Germany 29-24. Spain took the title on last Championship and bronze in Sweden but they are going home from Qatar without medals.

World Handball Championship, 3rd place match: Poland – Spain 29 – 28 (13 – 13), Match Center

WHC 3rd Place Match: Poland manage to beat Spain after extra times