Spain and Brazil had secured their quarter-final berths already on Friday, but both teams wanted to extend their winning streaks. And it was the Spain side who ultimately managed it, claiming their sixth straight victory and finishing top of the group. 

MAIN ROUND GROUP IV
Spain vs Brazil 27:24 (12:10)

Much to the delight of the crowd at the Palacio de los Deportes de Torrevieja, Spain took control early in the game. Their defence looked rock-solid, and the home side enjoyed a 5:1 lead 10 minutes into the match.

But the one-sided game did not last long as after a time-out, Brazil improved their performance. The South American team found the way to hold their opponents back and score, and although only four players netted for them – compared to eight for Spain – before the break, Brazil closed the gap to 10:12. 

"We missed many shots, and it helped Spain to win. But we need to keep our heads up and deal with the defeat," Brazil's coach Cristiano Silva said. 

They went on to draw level shortly after the restart, and while 'Las Guerreras' then had the upper hand again thanks to individual actions by Carmen Martin and Alexandrina Cabral Barbosa, they were unable to pull clear by more than two or three goals as Bruna De Paula set the tone in Brazil's attack. 

The opponents were worth each other, and it was a really tight and emotional battle. However, a few Silvia Navarro saves and fast counterattacks in the crucial phase of the match lifted Spain to a 5:0 run and a 26:20 lead by minute 58 – and the deal was sealed.

While Navarro, who made 14 saves for a 41% save rate, was named hummel Player of the Match, 13 of her teammates netted at least once, with Cabral Barbosa becoming their top scorer with seven goals. For Brazil, Jessica Quintino was the best, scoring six times. 

Now both teams will have to travel from Torrevieja to Granollers, where the decisive games will be held. In the quarter-finals, Spain will face Germany on Tuesday, while Brazil are set to meet Denmark on the same day. 

hummel Player of the Match: Silvia Navarro, Spain

Photo: RFEBM / J. L. Recio