Alser’s survival will have to wait

Alser BM Puerto Sagunto lost 33–25 to Naturhouse La Rioja in an early match from Matchday 26 of the Liga Asobal.

Alser BM Puerto Sagunto travelled to the Palacio de los Deportes de Logroño aiming to secure definitive survival. However, true to their away record, they once again failed in their attempt. Four points from a possible twenty-eight is the meagre return of an Alser side whose performances drop to the most unexpected levels when playing away.

It is not simply that they lose away from home, which is normal for a newcomer to the Asobal, but that they suffer heavy defeats even against teams from their own league, such as Guadalajara, or against a team like Naturhouse, who, although a few points above them in terms of squad quality, were beaten at the Ovni. It seems that the inevitable dips and imbalances that occur during phases of play, together with the absence of their loyal red-and-white supporters reminding them that “it can be done”, cause the players to fall into a pattern of helplessness.

And yet, despite the absences, the side from Puerto Sagunto started with a well-positioned defence and an attack that was not very fluid but found solutions against a La Rioja side that repeatedly ran into the Valencian wall.

Everything changed with a double suspension that allowed the home side to close the gap and overtake the visitors, who strung together a series of shooting and defensive errors that left Goran Dzokic’s players with just nine goals.

The second half began with Alser BM Puerto Sagunto trying to find the best options, but an outstanding Gurutz Aguinagalde gave Jota González’s side speed in their play, and they killed off the red-and-whites on the counter-attack.

In the end, the La Rioja side won comfortably and Alser will have to wait—either for already-safe Guadalajara, who have nothing at stake, to pick up points away against Toledo, who are fighting for their lives in every match, or for the 1,600 supporters of the Marea Rojiblanca to continue doing their part in securing survival in a match against Antequera, so as not to delay mathematical confirmation of safety any further and, in the process, bring joy once again to supporters who have not seen the team win at home since the end of 2010.

 

Naturhouse La Rioja: Aguinagalde and Lorger. Parra (2), Juarez (6), Arrieta (3), Velasco (3), Sorrentino (2), Victor Hugo, López (4), Dujshebaev (4), Garabaya, Amargant (4), Kallman (2) and Abrao (3)

 

Alser BM Puerto Sagunto: Peg and Samuel. Backovic (1), Serrano (4), Ruiz (3), Sifre (1), Tarrasó (3), Prce (6), Sánchez (3), Nebot, Ángel (1), Bauer, Dukic (3) and Tello.

 

Referees: García Fernández and Pastor Gamón. The home players Víctor Hugo, Garabaya and Silva were suspended; as were the visitors Backovic (twice), Sifre, Tarrasó and Prce.

Palacio de los Deportes de Logroño. 1,800 spectators.

Score every 5 minutes: 0–1, 2–3, 5–4, 7–8, 11–8, 14–9 Half-time. 16–10, 17–13, 21–16, 24–18, 30–21, 33–25. Full time

 

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.