Fertiberia fight until the end without reward

Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto lost 24-27 in a match in which the lead BM Benidorm gained at the start of the game, together with their goalkeeping, proved decisive. Fertiberia tried until the end to draw level, having up to five chances to equalise, but ultimately it was not to be. The atmosphere in a packed Ovni on the occasion of the match of the round in the Liga Plenitude ASOBAL. In addition, at the start of the match, the players received their medals and the trophy for winning the Silver Honour Division last season.

The match began with great intensity and Benidorm taking the lead on the scoreboard by capitalising on the red-and-whites' mistakes in front of goal, their tough defence and the saves of their goalkeeper Witkowski. After Malla called a timeout, the red-and-whites began to reduce the deficit against Benidorm. Poveda stood out in attack and, with five goals, helped the team come close to equalising before half-time at 11-14.

After the half-time break, Fertiberia came out with a winning attitude, and Pareda brought the team to within one of drawing level, but once again, thanks to the saves of Witkowski, the red-and-whites could not turn the match around.

Malla said after the match that he had ‘nothing to reproach my boys for; they fought until the end like heroes in an Ovni where it was a pleasure to play because of the incredible atmosphere from start to finish’.

Match details:

Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto: Martínez, Díaz (1), Simón (2), Ferré (3), Nolasco (4), Parera (6), Poveda (5); Olivares (2), García, Correro, López (1), Olba, Krivokapic

TM Benidorm: Witkowski, Zhukov (3), Moscariello (2), De Angelis (4), Alonso (2), Sempere (4), Martínez (3); Durovic (1), Valles (4), Roca (3), Vainstein (1), Barceló

Referees: Macías de Paz and Ruiz Vergara. Ferré, Poveda and Correro were excluded for the home side, and Durovic, Oliver (2), Zhukov, Moscariello and Durovic for the visitors

Score: 1-4, 3-4, 3-6, 7-11, 9-12, 11-14 (half-time) 13-14, 15-17, 17-18, 19-21, 21-23 and 24-27 (full-time)

Match information: Match corresponding to the fifth round of the ASOBAL League, played at the Ovni pavilion in Puerto de Sagunto in front of around 1,500 spectators. Before the match, the president of the Royal Spanish Handball Federation, Francisco Blázquez, presented Fertiberia with the Silver Honour Division champions' cup.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.