A tight opening game, Tarrafeta brilliance, and classic Spain — here are three takes after Spain beat Serbia 29–27.
Tight Game
It was an opening game that went all the way to the wire. Spain came out hot in the first half and gained an early 7–3 lead. But after that, Serbia fought back, and after a really strong second half they were within striking distance in the final ten minutes. Despite plenty of chances, they never managed to cut the lead to less than two goals, and Spain could hold on to a hard-fought victory. Despite the loss, Serbia showed that they are a strong side. Spain takes two big points, but they will have to step up a few levels if they aim to compete for medals in this tournament.
Tarrafeta Brilliance
The playmaker was named Player of the Match — and rightly so. With six goals and four assists, he was involved in much of what went right for Spain offensively. Together with Dushebajev, he stepped up in crunch time and made sure Spain secured the two points. Tarrafeta will have to take on big responsibility in a backcourt that otherwise had plenty of struggles in this match.
Classic Spain
It doesn’t always flow and it doesn’t always look pretty — but Spain finds ways to win. Despite struggling offensively throughout the second half, they managed to score when it mattered most. As he has done so many times before, Dushebajev stepped up and scored three crucial goals in the final ten minutes. On the other end, Hernández, who had barely saved a shot throughout the game, stopped three Serbian attempts in the closing minutes. This is classic Spain: even when not playing their best, they are smart, patient, and ice-cold when it’s time to decide the game.