Alser BM Puerto Sagunto open their away points account

Alser Puerto Sagunto drew 25-25 away to Quabit Guadalajara in a thrilling match which they controlled in the second half, but in the final ten minutes anything could happen—win, lose or draw—and in the end it was the latter. Although it should not have happened, because the Santiuste brothers, who do not usually have good afternoons against the red-and-whites, denied Alser the final goal scored by Fernando Latorre by whistling an incomprehensible free throw when the ball had gone in and there had been no infringement by the red-and-whites. Even so, Alser were not at their best in the preceding period, when they let a four-goal lead slip away in the final 15 minutes.

 Alser made the better start and went 0-3 ahead, but their first numerical disadvantage, caused by Alfredo Sorrentino’s suspension, brought the Alcarria side closer, reducing the deficit to one (4-5). Three goals from Sorrentino put the red-and-whites back into the match, and they reached half-time with both sides ready for the second half.

David Bruixola’s saves allowed Alser to establish their biggest lead, 18-22. However, Rudovic and Fontenla dragged Quabit back into the game, and the tireless Garralda completed the comeback to make it 25-24 with five minutes remaining.

 But this was not the same Alser as on other afternoons, and they did not let themselves be dragged into hell as usual in the closing stages. A superb Fernando Latorre, Alser’s joint top scorer with Sorrentino, scored the equaliser. The final stages were reached with Guadalajara down a player following Garralda’s suspension with a minute and a half remaining. In that situation, as mentioned at the start, Latorre scored a goal that was disallowed for a defensive free throw, and the match ended level.

 A point which in other circumstances would taste like glory, but which is of little use beyond keeping the increasingly difficult miracle alive with six rounds remaining. The schedule is accelerating and, with no time to think, Alser host Caja 3 BM Aragón at the Ovni this very Tuesday at 20:15. They will arrive wounded after their surprise home defeat to Helvetia Anaitasuna. A victory over the Aragonese side would give this point earned in Guadalajara greater value.

 Match details

QUABIT GUADALAJARA: Gómez and Oliva (goalkeepers). Parra (1), Castella (2), Reig (3), Fontenla (7), De la Rubia (-), Basmalis (1), Epeldegui (1), De la Salud (1), Rudovic (5), Blazevic, Garralda (2) and Valles (2).

ALSER PUERTO SAGUNTO: Bruixola and Peg (goalkeepers). Rubén Ruiz (-), Sorrentino (5), Moya (1), Stefanovic (-), Sifre (4), Tarrasó (3), Alegre (-), Nebot (-), Ángel Fernández (-), Prendes (5), Chelu (2) and Fernando Latorre (5).

 Referees: Jesús and Jorge Escudero (Cantabria). Blazevic, Castella, Epeldegui and Garralda were suspended for Quabit BM Guadalajara, and Sorrentino, Prendes and Sifre for Alser Puerto Sagunto.

 Intervals: 1-3; 3-5; 7-9; 11-9; 12-10; 13-13, half-time. 15-17; 17-18; 18-21; 21-22; 25-24; 25-25.

Venue: Palacio Multiusos Aguas Vivas. Six hundred spectators.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.