Spain won this Wednesday comfortably in the Los Planos de Teruel pavilion 3-0 against the weak Georgia in the third game of 2023 European Championship qualifying tournament. The Spaniards, who have accumulated three victories in their three pre-European matches, have classification within reach. His next appointment will be with the same rival as yesterday but at home.
In the first set, there was only one team on the court. The Spanish National Team was imposed by a crushing 25-5 which indicates the overwhelming superiority of Spain on a fragile Georgia that counts its games in the pre-European due to heavy defeats. The visiting coach has exhausted the two timeouts in the first nine minutes of the game in search of a reaction from his players that has not arrived. The first visitor goal was not scored until Spain did not add 11 points to their scoreboard.
The timid reaction of the Georgians in the second set has not served to tarnish the absolute dominance of Spain in all facets of the game. The partial closed with another bulky difference, 25-14. The visiting team, wounded in its pride, has tried to correct the mistakes but the blocking, reception and attack have remained under Spanish control, despite the fact that the national coach, Miguel Rivera, has moved the bench to give minutes to less usual players.
The third and last assault has followed the pattern of the first two, with a dominating Spanish team, although the rivals have seemed more in tune at times and have created some reception difficulties Spanish. However, the final result 25-16 shows again the superiority of Spain. The public, before a match without history, has even had time to make the wave.
Miguel Rivera acknowledged that, when playing against an undemanding team, “the most difficult thing is for the team to maintain tension and focus on the game”. Rivera has been “satisfied” with the performance of the players with fewer minutes and has recalled that if Spain wins its next two games, against Georgia and Slovakia, it will seal the ticket for the 2023 Eurovolley.
The coach explained that the team, despite the ingenuity of the rival, played a “very serious” game and did not relax. Their full number of victories allows them to top a group that also includes Georgia, Hungary and Slovakia.
Martín de Chavarría, one of Spain’s standouts, pointed out that the key to the lofty victory was keeping the team “organized and intense” until the end. He has been “happy” with the result and with the trajectory of the group, which he has achieved “three out of three” in the pre-European tournament.
Spain: Ramón (2), Fornés (3), Giménez (4), De Chavarría (8), Gimeno (13), Martín (2) –initial sextet– and Larrañaga (Libero). Dovale (Libero 2), Villalba (4), Rodríguez (7), Lorente (2), Olalla (3), Fresquet (2) also played.
Georgia: Chkholaria (5), Gejadze, Tskhomaria (9), Gordadze, Zakaidze (4), Nutsubidze (3) –starting sextet– and Buadze (Libero). Tevdoradze, Meladze, Lazarashvili, Kachibaia also played.
Sets: 25-5 (17 min.), 25-14 (22 min.) and 25-15 (25 min.).
Referees: Suleyman Yalcin y Chantal Kaiser.
Incidences: Third match of the qualifying tournament for the European Championship, played at Pabellón Los Planos before 650 spectators.