Alser Puerto Sagunto put up a fight against Valladolid but fail to take points

Alser Puerto Sagunto lost away to Cuatro Rayas BM Valladolid 32–25 in a match that began evenly, with the red-and-whites clearly superior during the first half, but ended with victory for the home side.

In the opening minutes, the two teams began evenly matched until Cuatro Rayas BM Valladolid took control and opened up a lead. However, the Valladolid side's joy did not last long, as the red-and-whites levelled the score thanks to Goran's boys' compact defence, Peg's saves and the attacking accuracy of Tarraso, Sifre, Moya and Sorrentino. All of this meant that the two teams went into half-time with the red-and-whites ahead (12–14).

In the second half, Juan Carlos Pastor brought out all his heavy artillery to level the score. However, the saves of the once again brilliant Peg made things difficult during the opening minutes of the second half, but Marko Krivokapic's attacking accuracy turned the score around, putting the home side back in front. The fatigue and the impact of the home team's substitutes took their toll on the red-and-whites, and, combined with Sierra's goalkeeping accuracy, this resulted in a second half in which Pastor's boys were physically superior.

Worth highlighting was the red-and-whites' “battling” performance during the first half, the sparse and cold atmosphere in the Huerta de Rey sports centre, and the red-and-whites' improved result compared with the same fixture last year.

Ultimately, it was a match that began very evenly but in which the two points could not be secured, away from home and against a side playing in European competition. Nevertheless, it must serve as motivation to keep fighting, starting with the next match against BM Huesca next Saturday, the 10th, at the “Ovni”. They are direct rivals, and the team must try to secure two points to achieve this year's objective: survival.

Cuatro Rayas BM Valladolid: Sierra, Yerai Lamariano, Asier Antonio (1), Víctor Alonso(1), Patrick Elliert, Krivokapic (6), Ángel Romero(4), Gurbindo(3), José Ángel Delgado, Tin Tokic, Alexis Rodríguez(2), Guillaume Joli(7), Davor Cutura(7) and Nikcevic(3).

Alser Puerto Sagunto: Bruixola, Peg, Moya del Saz, Ruiz(2), Sorrentino(2), Moya(4), Sifré(5), Cid(4), A. Fernández, Prendes(4), Muiña(1), Tarrasó(3), Alegre and Nebot.

Referees: García Sánchez and Murillo Castro (Andalusian federation). They suspended Tokic (min. 13), Alonso (min. 28), Asier Antonio (min. 39) and Joli (min. 46) of Cuatro Rayas, and Prendes (min. 30), Sifre (min. 35) and Tarraso (min. 37) of Alser Puerto Sagunto for two minutes.

Score at five-minute intervals: 2–2, 6–4, 8–6, 10–7, 11–11, 12–14 Half-time 15–14, 18–15, 24–16, 26–20, 29–23, 32–25 Full-time

Huerta de Rey Municipal Sports Centre. 900 spectators

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.