Handball Libertadores Semifinalists Determined. A Thursday full of action and excitement at the Paraguayan Olympic Committee Park.
The SCA Men’s Club Handball Championship now knows the four teams that will compete for a spot in the final.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM MATCHDAY 4:
LUQUE (PAR) vs. VILLA ELISA (PAR)
In the game that kicked off the fourth round, Luque ended up winning 29-22 against Villa Elisa
Both teams are familiar with each other from the local league, so the game was closely contested for much of the match.
In the first half, Luque was more effective on his shots and managed to go into halftime with a 14-12 lead. In the second half, Villa Elisa tried to stay in the game, but a nearly ten-minute scoring drought ultimately took its toll.
Christian Heredia was the standout player of the match; he was also named MVP and was the game’s top scorer with 9 goals.
SAGV BALLESTER (ARG) vs. TRIUNFO (PAR)
At the Arena COP SAGV stadium, Ballester defeated Triunfo 33-23. The first half featured some good stretches of play for Club Atlético Triunfo, but it wasn’t enough, and the half ended 14-12 in Ballester’s favor.
In the second half, Gastón Arias’s team tightened up their defense and found openings on offense to score and extend their lead.
The game’s MVP was Francisco Soto de Ballester, while Kaique Santos was the top scorer with 9 goals.
RIVER PLATE (ARG) vs. UNIVERSITARIO (ARG)
An all-Argentine showdown at the Paraguayan Olympic Committee’s CEO tournament, where River Plate secured a 32-21 victory over Universitario.
After an even start to the game, River managed to take the lead thanks to more effective counterattacks. The first half ended 16-13 in favor of the team coached by Pablo Robledo.
In the second half, Universitario got off to a shaky start, and River took advantage of that to extend its lead.
Felipe Suárez’s outstanding saves in one-on-one situations were crucial in allowing the team to pull ahead on the scoreboard and control the flow of the game until the final whistle.
The MVP of the game was Felipe Suárez, who stood out in goal with 12 saves and a 57% save percentage.
PONTEVEDRÉS (URU) vs. SCUOLA ITALIANA (URU)
Two Uruguayan teams played the second game at the COP Arena, Pontevedrés defeated Scuola Italiana 19-22.
During the first quarter, the game was evenly matched between the two teams; defensive mistakes by Pontevedrés allowed Scuola to take a narrow lead, with the score at 12-11 in their favor.
In overtime, Pontevedrés showed greater efficiency in their finishing and quick breaks on the counterattack to score and thus win the game.
The MVP was Gabriel Chaparro, who also scored 5 goals for his team, Pontevedrés.
SAN FERNANDO (ARG) vs. PINHEIROS (BRA)
In the first quarterfinal matchup, San Fernando faced Pinheiros in a bid to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Argentine team put up a fight, but ultimately lost 31-27 to the Brazilian team.
Pinheiros quickly took the lead, capitalizing on some mistakes by San Fernando. However, Elio Fernández’s team fought back, stayed in the game, and managed to go into halftime trailing by just two goals, 16–14.
In the second half, the Brazilian team took advantage of the opening minutes to extend its lead, a lead it maintained throughout the game until securing the victory.
The top scorer and MVP of the game was Philipp Seifert, who scored 12 goals and was the standout player in Pinheiros’ victory.
NACIONAL (BRA) vs. DORREGO (ARG)
In the quarterfinals, Nacional defeated Dorrego 26-24 at the Ueno Arena COP
The first half ended with a 15-11 lead for Nacional, which executed a fast break with passes from goalkeeper Rangel Da Rosa. The Brazilians capitalized on Dorrego’s defensive mistakes to take the lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Brazilian team took advantage of the opening minutes to extend their lead, but Dorrego mounted a comeback with less than 3 minutes remaining in the game.
The standout player was Nacional goalkeeper Rangel Da Rosa, who had a 45% save percentage and was named MVP. Meanwhile, Bautista Arrom was the leading scorer with 9 goals.
It was a victory for Nacional, which advanced to one of the semifinals.
TAUBATÉ (BRA) vs. FMO PORTUGUÊS (BRA)
In the third quarterfinal matchup, Taubaté and FMO Português faced off in a very close contest for a spot in the semifinals.
The team coached by Andre Denis managed to win 23-20 and advance to the next round.
During the first half, FMO Português built a slight lead thanks to their strong defensive play and went into halftime up 12-8.
In the second half, Taubaté tried to mount a comeback and managed to score a goal, but their opponent held on to the lead until the final whistle to secure their spot in the next round.
The MVP of the game was Maik Dos Santos, who made 12 saves and played a decisive role in his team’s victory.
With this result, FMO Portugués will play the first semifinal against Pinheiros this Friday at 6:00 p.m.
COL. WARD (ARG) vs ARGENTINOS JRS (ARG)
The final match of the day in the quarterfinals was played at the COP Arena, with Argentinos Juniors defeating Colegio Ward 23-22.
Early in the game, Ward took the lead, but Argentinos quickly capitalized on Ward’s consecutive offensive errors to turn the score around and close out a 12-14 run in their favor.
In the second half, both teams played a closely contested game that built in intensity. In the final 5 minutes of the match, the goalkeepers were the ones who kept the score tied.
After a timeout called by Fernando Capurro with 40 seconds left in the game, Argentinos pulled back on offense and scored the goal at the last second.
The game’s MVP was Mateo Giménez, who also scored 7 goals.
With this result, Argentinos Juniors advanced to the semifinals and will play this Friday at 8:30 p.m. against Nacional of Brazil.
All games are broadcast on our YouTube channel Handball SC América
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Photos: COSCABAL / Jorge Olmedo / Germán Paez
By Lorena Coria / Rocío Mariel García Sigüenza
