Sant Andreu has taken a 1-0 lead in the Spanish League final series after edging Sabadell 12-13 in a dramatic clash held midday at Can Llong. The match was a thrilling rematch of both the Copa de la Reina Iberdrola and Champions League finals — and once again, Sant Andreu emerged victorious.
Javier Aznar’s team burst out of the blocks with a stunning start, leading 2-5 by the end of the first quarter against a Sabadell side that needed urgent tactical adjustments.
And adjust they did — David Palma’s squad mounted a fierce response, flipping the momentum in just eight minutes to draw level at 7-7 by halftime.
In the third period, Simone van de Kraats gave Sabadell their first lead with a deft lob, only for Marina Cordobés to immediately level the score once again. The goal-for-goal exchange continued until Queralt Antón cleverly nudged Sant Andreu back ahead at 11-12 in the final quarter.
With three minutes remaining, Irene González equalized with a brilliant lob, setting up a tense finish. Both teams had chances, but it was Laura Aarts who drew a penalty on Nona Pérez, converted by Elena Ruiz with just 57 seconds left. A final blocked shot on Rita Keszthelyi in a man-up situation sealed the win for Sant Andreu.
Game two of the series takes place this Sunday at the Pere Serrat pool.
Elena Ruiz: “Nothing’s decided yet”
In the mixed zone after the game, Elena Ruiz emphasized caution: “We started strong but they came back. It was a really intense and evenly matched game until the final minute. Our energy helped us get over the line, but even with home advantage and our fans behind us, nothing is decided yet.”
Sant Andreu head coach Javier Aznar echoed the sentiment: “This is just the first point. We want to win the second, but it’ll be very tough. Sabadell is a great team. I expect a very similar game — superiority plays, penalties, and counterattacks will decide it all in the small details.”
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