The women’s water polo team reached its second Olympic semi-finals after defeating China (11-7) in a match that got on track in the first half and sealed with the defense when they had problems in attack.
Spain, Olympic runner-up in London 2012, will play the semifinal on Thursday at 8.30 against the winner of the Netherlands-Hungary match.
The jam suffered in the offensive facet in the last two sets does not tarnish the brilliant classification of the Spanish team, which proved to be superior to a very feisty but inferior rival.
On paper it was the ideal crossing after a good first phase that Miki Oca’s team settled with the first placeAlthough the team led by Montenegrin Petar Porobic had shown themselves to be capable of the best with, for example, their victory against Hungary.
The Spanish players knew that once again it was crucial to close well in defense and maintain a good level of achievement, as they have done so far and not let their rivals grow, which is when they become dangerous.
Even so, the tension over the significance of the meeting was noted from the outset, but in how much he established his defense and let go in attack left his superiority palpable. China managed to stall the match. Spain, however, did not take long to take the initiative with some clarity.
Since Yiwen Lu equalized Bea Ortiz’s initial goal, the Spanish team did not allow any more joys. Irene González, Roser Tarragó, Maica García and Anna Espar they signed 5-2 at the end of the first quarter.
The result was not final yet. Much remained. Guannan Niu and Xinyan Wang kept China in the game, but the greater efficiency in Spain’s superiorities, both in defense (including double exclusions) and in attack, allowed them to go to the long break with 9-5 after the goals of Bea Ortiz and Judith Forca, who ended the Asian illusions at the start of the third quarter with two new goals (11-5).
Laura Ester bolted the goal, and the defense did the rest because the offensive performance of the Spanish team lowered. Fortunately, China could only close the gap with a penalty converted by Zewen Deng (11-6).
It seemed too wide an advantage for the Asian team to think about the comeback. Still, he did not give up. Spain continued with its jam forward and Guannan Niu, after reviewing the video by the referee, signed the 11-7.
Without fearing for the result, Spain could not breathe too calmly victim of its ineffectiveness in attack. He wasted several superiorities and even a very clear backlash, but his strength behind gave him air and the possibility of fighting for the second time in history for an Olympic medal.
– Data sheet:
11 – Spain: Laura Ester, Anna Espar (1), Bea Ortiz (2), Clara Espar, Pili Peña, Roser Tarragó (1), Paula Leiton -starting team-, Irene González (1), Judith Forca (4), Maica García ( 1), Marta Bach (1) and Elena Ruiz.
7 – China: Yineng Shen, Xinyan Wang (1), Guannan Niu (2), Huan Wang (1), Zewen Deng (1p), Xiao Chen, Jing Zhang -starting team-, Xiaohan Mei, Dunhan Xiong (1), Ying Zhai, Yiwen Lu (1) and Danyi Zhang.
Partials: 5-2, 4-3, 2-1 and 0-1.
Referees: Sebastien Dervieux (FRA) and Michael Soldenberg (USA). They admonished Miki Oca.
Incidents: Quarterfinal match of the women’s water polo tournament played at the Tatsumi Aquatic Center.