In the match, which stake was the seventh place at the championships in Kielce, Spain faced the Netherlands. Thanks to very good second half, Oranjes won 33:26.

For both teams, the very presence in the “top eight” is a big success. In the 1/8 finals, the Spaniards unexpectedly defeated Norway (20:18), and Dutchmen France (24:23). The quarterfinals, however, turned out to be the peak of the possibilities of both teams. On Saturday, Oranjes, after an epic battle and penalties, lost against Denmark (29:31) and they will face the team from the Iberian Peninsula, which defeated against the Germans (20:24).

The Dutchmen started scornig the first two goals. Then, however, the Spanish team woke up and after 12 minutes they led 8:5. The match resembled a sinusoid, because in the next minutes Oranjes took over the initiative. The result was the draw 11:11 (21 min.). Until the end of the first game, nothing changed – we still had a status quo until the break (14:14).

In the second half there was nothing to change the scenario. However, after about ten minutes, the Dutch team started discreetly building advantage. After a quarter of the second party it was already 24:18 for them. In further minutes Oranjes calmly maintained this advantage. Nikita Van Der Vliet, as usual, played spectacular match. She scored 12 times and, of course, got the MVP title. Eventually, Ricardo Clarijs’s team won 33 to 26 and took 7th place at the tournament. The 8th place went to the Spaniards.

SPAIN – NETHERLANDS 26:33 (14:14)

SPAIN: Wiggins, Suarez Martinez-Gandia – Palomo 1, Fernandez-Agusti 3, Sobrepera, Spugnini 2, Vallina, Morales, Martinez 6, Moles 7, Mendez, Arcos 1, Diaz 2, Capdevilla 1, Loidi 3, Quevedo

NETHERLANDS: van der Linden, Trooster – van der Vliet 12, de Boer, van der Baan 2, N. Krullaars 7, Amsen 1, Tutert, Dekker 2, Z. Krullaars 1, van Diepen 4, Hilbrands 1, van der Geest, Sprengers 3, Theron.

Maciej Szarek, fot. PRESSFOCUS/ZPRP

QUOTES:

Ricardo Clarijs, head coach of the Netherlands: After the tournament, I’m very proud of the girls. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lost but we always played as the one big team. Also, today in the second half, yesterday against Denmark and against Sweden we had some period when we play very good. My girls improved their skills and played a very, very good tournament. I’m so proud of them!

GALLERY: