Pinheiros and Nacional are the finalists in the SCA Club Championship in Asunción. On the penultimate matchday of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee’s handball championship, this Saturday’s matchups were determined.
SUMMARY OF MATCHDAY 5:
LUQUE (PAR) vs. UNIVERSITARIO (ARG)
Villa Elisa and Universitario kicked offthe fifth matchday at the Olympic Park CEO, where the Argentine team secured its first victory of the tournament with a 34-27 win.
Universitario played better as a team from the start, although some inaccuracies in front of the net kept the game close. Even so, Rodrigo Barrera’s team managed to go into halftime with a 15-12 lead.
In the second half, Universitario tightened up its defense and began winning back possession, which allowed the team to launch quick counterattacks, gradually widening the lead and controlling the flow of the game.
The MVP of the game was Nicolás Amoros, who scored 5 goals.
In addition, the performances of goalkeepers Maximiliano Muñoz, who had a 56% save percentage, and Matías Costamagna, with a 43% save percentage, were crucial in maintaining the lead.
SAN FERNANDO (ARG) vs. TAUBATÉ (BRA)
Taubaté defeated San Fernando 31-29 in the first game of the day at the COP Arena.
During the first half, Elio Fernández’s team capitalized on the Brazilian team’s offensive mistakes and poor shooting to take a 17-13 lead.
In the second half, Taubaté took the court with a different approach and displayed better teamwork, which allowed them to take the lead. Even so, André Silva’s team was unable to secure the victory.
San Fernando capitalized on its opponent’s turnovers to tie the game, but with just a few minutes left, Taubaté goalkeeper Emanuel Evangelista stopped a penalty kick by Federico Fernández, and while down two players on offense, Taubaté scored the goal that secured its victory.
The game’s MVP was Kelvin Barros, who also scored 6 goals.
TRIUNFO (PAR) vs. SCUOLA ITALIANA (URU)
Scuola Italiana defeated Triunfo 29-26 in a very close game.
The Uruguayan team found better offensive solutions right from the start. That allowed them to build a significant lead and go into halftime up 17-11.
In the second half, Triunfo found openings and managed to close the gap, tying the game until the final minutes. Even so, Scuola held onto the lead it had built in the first 30 minutes and ultimately secured the victory.
Federico Rubbo was one of the standout players of the afternoon; the No. 20 was named MVP and also finished as Scuola’s leading scorer with 8 goals.
DORREGO (ARG) vs. COL. WARD (ARG)
In the afternoon at Ueno Arena, COP Dorrego defeated Colegio Ward 31-24.
The first half saw some sloppy play by Ward on offense, while for Dorrego, the Arrom brothers led their team to a 15-10 halftime lead.
In the second half, Dorrego showed greater effectiveness on offense and managed to pull ahead on the scoreboard thanks to his quick breaks and his ability to find openings in the opponent’s defense.
The top scorer of the match was Manuel Sanfelippo with 11 goals for Ward, while the game’s MVP was Ezequiel Flores of Dorrego.
LUQUE (PAR) vs. RIVER PLATE (ARG)
At the Parque Olímpico, River Plate secured a 29-24 victory over Luque.
The Paraguayan team got off to a better start and came out determined to set the tone from the very beginning.
However, after a shaky start, River managed to find its footing, improve its accuracy on offense, and turn the game around to go into halftime with a 16-12 lead.
In extra time, Heredia kept Luque’s hopes of staying in the game alive, while goalkeeper Isaac Velázquez’s saves prevented the score from widening rapidly.
Despite the Paraguayan team’s attempts to get back within striking distance, Pablo Robledo’s squad knew how to strike at the right moments and ultimately sealed the victory.
The game’s MVP was Uriel Dopozo, who also scored six goals in River’s victory.
PINHEIROS (BRA) vs. FMO PORTUGUÊS (BRA) Semifinal
A showdown between Brazilian teams in the first semifinal at the COP Arena. Esporte Clube Pinheiros defeated FMO Portugués 27-26 and has advanced to the Handball Libertadores final
After an evenly matched first half that ended in a 13-13 tie, Pinheiros managed to tie the game on the final shot.
Meanwhile, in the second half, FMO Português’s fast breaks put them ahead on the scoreboard, at one point leading by three goals, but little by little, Alex Aprile’s team regrouped and improved their offense.
Pinheiros is a resilient team that imposed its style of play and showed greater precision on offense to turn the game around.
With just moments left before the final whistle, the score was still tied at 26-26. Once again, the blue-and-black team, in possession of the ball, scored at the last second and clinched a narrow 27-26 victory.
The game’s MVP was Gabriel Reis, who scored the winning goal. In addition, Kaique Da Silva of FMO Português was the leading scorer with 10 goals, and goalkeeper Maik Dos Santos posted an impressive save percentage of 37%.
SAGV BALLESTER (ARG) vs. PONTEVEDRÉS (URU)
In a hard-fought game, Pontevedrés defeated SAG Villa Ballester 31-25.
The game got off to an even start, but the Uruguayan team’s solid defense was key in turning the tide in their favor and heading into halftime with a 16-13 lead.
In overtime, despite Ballester’s attempts to mount a comeback, Pontevedrés maintained its pace and extended its lead late in the game to secure the victory.
The MVP of the game was Bruno Borba, who also scored 6 goals for the winning team.
NACIONAL (BRA) vs. ARGENTINOS JRS (ARG). Semifinal
At the end of the day, the second semifinal of the SCA Club Tournament was played, with Nacional defeating Argentinos Juniors 33-29.
Nacional managed to build a 6-goal lead in the first quarter of the game, but Argentinos Juniors gradually closed the gap with counterattacks and quick breaks to pull within 3 goals of their opponent.
The team coached by Francisco Stringhini adjusted its defense and defensive strategy to regain control of the game. Nacional led 18-13 at halftime.
In extra time, the Brazilian team’s solid defense was key in the opening minutes, and goalkeeper Rangel Da Rosa turned in a standout performance with a 36% save percentage.
Argentinos Juniors fought hard throughout the second half, but Nacional was able to find openings and build on its play by capitalizing on its opponent’s defensive mistakes.
The game’s MVP was Nacional’s No. 9, Lissandro Santos, and the leading scorer was Alvaro Araújo with 7 goals.
With this result, Nacional advanced to the final of the Handball Libertadores and will play Pinheiros this Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
All the games can be watched on our YouTube channel Handball SC América
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Photos: COSCABAL / Jorge Olmedo / Germán Paez
By Lorena Coria / Rocío Mariel García Sigüenza
