Barcelona Overcomes Benidorm in Thrilling Match
Barça had to dig deep to secure a hard-fought victory against Benidorm in a thrilling encounter this past Saturday. The local team put up a valiant fight, displaying a brave and aggressive style of play that kept the champions on their toes until the final moments of the match.
The Benidorm squad, relentless in their attacks and willing to take risks by sacrificing their goalkeeper, managed to keep pace with the reigning champions until the 25th minute of the second half. However, it was the standout performances of Mem, Frade, and Pérez de Vargas that ultimately turned the tide in favor of the current leaders.
The match kicked off with Benidorm showing no fear and taking control early on. Led by coach Sergio Carballeira’s strategic seven-man attack, they caught Barça off guard, with Nacho Valles leading the charge and dictating the tempo of the game. Despite Barça managing to open up a slight lead with two quick goals, TM Benidorm fought back fiercely, ending the first half with a narrow advantage after a clutch seven-meter shot by Valles.
Carballeira’s team continued their aggressive play in the second half, but it was the stellar goalkeeping of Pérez de Vargas that proved to be the difference-maker. While Barça maintained their lead on the scoreboard, TM Benidorm refused to back down, persisting with their attacking style of play.
Barça made a late surge to extend their lead to three goals, but TM Benidorm, led by Vallés, rallied once again to level the score at 25-25. The intense back-and-forth battle forced Ortega to call a timeout, with TM Benidorm making defensive adjustments to stay in the game. However, the combined efforts of Frade, Mem, and Pérez de Vargas, coupled with the fatigue setting in for the home team, proved too much for TM Benidorm to handle, as they fell short in the dying moments of the match.
SUMMARY
Benidorm (17+11): Witkowski; Ramiro Martínez (5), Moscariello (3), Sempere, Nacho Valles (11, 5 p), Roca (3), Vujovic (2) – starting seven – Oliver, Barceló (1), Zhukov (1), Vainstein (2), De Angelis.
Barça (16+18): Nielsen (1); Ariño (2), Carlsbogard (3), Javier Rodríguez (5), N’Guessan (3), Mem (6), Blaz Janc (3) -starting seven-; Pérez de Vargas (ps), Valera (2), Frade (5), Langaro, Cikusa, Richardson (2, 1p), Wanne (2, 1p).
Scoring every five minutes: 4-2, 8-7, 9-9, 11-13, 14-14, 17-16 -rest- 18-18, 20-22, 23-24, 26-27, 28-30, 28-34.
Referees: Colmenero Guillén (Castilla y León) and Rollán Martín (Andalusia). They excluded Oliver, Barceló, Zhukov, and Moscariello (2) for TM Benidorm and Frade for Barça.
Venue: Palau d’Esports L’Illa de Benidorm, with approximately 1,800 spectators in attendance.