The excitement continues in the Handball Libertadores! On the second day of competition, the race for the title continues through June 27 in Asunción.
SUMMARY OF THE SECOND DAY
SCUOLA ITALIANA (URU) vs. PINHEIROS (BRA)
Pinheiros secured the victory over Scuola Italiana with a 34-22 win in the first match of the second round.
The Brazilian team started the game with some inaccurate shots and struggled to be effective on offense.
However, as the minutes went by, they managed to adjust their offensive play and began to take control of the game. The first half ended 15-9 in favor of Pinheiros.
In the second half, they maintained control of the game and gradually extended their lead. The MVP and top scorer of the match was Emerson Santos, who scored 7 goals.
LUQUE (PAR) vs. UNIVERSITARIO (ARG)
In Group C, Luque defeated Universitario 34-22 and secured its first victory.
An erratic first half for Universitario. After the first 12 minutes, they had scored only one goal. Defensive errors and turnovers plagued Rodrigo Barrera’s team.
Luque, for its part, took advantage of gaps in the Argentine team’s defense to go into halftime with a 15-8 lead.
In the second half, Alexander Ruiz Diaz’s team shot 60% from the field. Their goalkeeper, Gean Alves, was one of the standout players and was named MVP of the game. Meanwhile, Christian Heredia was the leading scorer with 10 goals.
COL. WARD (ARG) vs. SAGV BALLESTER (ARG)
In the all-Argentine matchup, the team coached by Alejo Smalc secured a hard-fought 24–20 victory.
The game was very close from start to finish. Ward managed to go into halftime with a 13-10 lead thanks to greater offensive efficiency and better execution of their opportunities.
In the second half, Ballester came out determined to turn the tide and managed to stay in the game for several stretches.
However, as the minutes went by, Ward’s defense grew stronger and began to tip the scales in his favor.
The standout player of the afternoon was Ignacio Abal, who was named MVP of the game. With 16 saves, he was instrumental in keeping the net secure at key moments and securing the victory for Colegio Ward.
TRIUNFO (PAR) vs. FMO PORTUGUÊS (BRA)
In Group B, FMO Português defeated Triunfo 34-20 and secured first place in the standings.
The Brazilians stepped up their offense, managing to break through Triunfo’s defense and bringing the score to 8-15 in favor of FMO Portugués.
In the second half, Andre Gonçalvez’s team stepped up their attacks and extended their lead. Goalkeeper Maik Santos had a 43% save percentage.
Gabriel Gomes de Souza of FM Portugués was named the game’s MVP, and Cristian Da Rosa of Club Atlético Triunfo was the game’s leading scorer.
VILLA ELISA (PAR) vs. DORREGO (ARG)
The Villa Elisa team faced off against Dorrego in a Group D match. The team coached by Nelson Ozorio was unable to take control of the game and ended up losing 43–25.
From the opening tip, Dorrego displayed great offensive efficiency and managed to build a significant lead, allowing them to go into halftime up 23–14.
In the second half, the visiting team maintained their intensity and sealed a decisive victory.
The top scorer of the match was Marcos Hailton Mendoza, who scored 7 goals for Villa Elisa, while the MVP of the game was Martín Arrom, a key player in Dorrego’s victory.
PONTEVEDRÉS (URU) vs. NACIONAL (BRA)
A tense first half, marked by frequent clashes between the Uruguayan and Brazilian players, kept the score tied.
Nacional quickly had Guilherme Monteiro sent off with a red card, and near the end, João Flores was also shown a red card. In the final second of the first half, Nacional scored to take a 15-14 lead over Pontevedrés at halftime.
In the second half, Sydclebson Aquino scored just under two minutes into the half.
Nacional stepped up its offense and shut down Pontevedrés’s attacking opportunities to pull ahead on the scoreboard. Nacional defeated Pontevedrés 32-23. Isaac Silva was named MVP.
The top scorers of the match were Sydclebson Aquino and Lissandro Santos, with 7 goals each for Nacional, while Giovanni Capello also scored 7 for Pontevedrés.
ARGENTINOS JUNIORS (ARG) vs. TAUBATÉ (BRA)
In the CEO’s final Group C home game, Taubaté defeated Argentinos Juniors 28–23. The team coached by Fernando Capurro was unable to overcome the lead its opponent had built during the first half.
The key to the game was the first half, when the Brazilian team displayed great offensive efficiency and went into halftime with an 18-9 lead.
In the second half, Argentinos stepped up their offensive play and managed to close the gap, though it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
The top scorer of the match was Ramiro Labartete, who scored 6 goals for Argentinos Juniors, while the MVP of the match was Emanuel Evangelista, Taubaté’s goalkeeper.
SAN FERNANDO (ARG) vs. RIVER PLATE (ARG)
In an all-Argentine matchup in the final game of the day, San Fernando went on a 3-0 run against Rover Plate five minutes into the game.
Ignacio Martino, in goal for San Fernando, stood his ground between the posts to prevent River from closing the gap, and the teams went into halftime with Elio Fernández’s team leading 16-11.
In the second half, River Plate improved its shooting and played at a faster pace; the game came down to the final minutes, and San Fernando won by a narrow margin, 27–26.
The MVP was Federico Fernández, who also scored 8 goals.
Standings
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Photos: COSCABAL / Jorge Olmedo / Germán Paez
By Lorena Coria / Rocío Mariel García Sigüenza
