Paris 2024 | Angola shock Spain with flawless second half display

Angola dropped one of the biggest shocks of the two handball competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with a fantastic comeback in the second half against Spain, to clinch their maiden win in this edition and their maiden win against Spain, 26:21.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES – PRELIMINARY ROUND
GROUP B
Angola vs Spain 26:21 (14:15)

Spain might have changed a lot, due to their more experienced players retiring and younger guns coming up, but one thing surely remained the same. The intimate knowledge of Carlos Viver of the Spain’s system and their DNA, as the current coach of the Angola women’s national team spent four years on Spain’s bench in his career.

And with a must-win match coming for Angola against Spain, the coach of the African champions put his knowledge to use very well, creating big issues once again for Spain, after “Las Guerreras” had previously conceded a 18:29 loss against Brazil in the first match.

It was Angola which started the match better, constantly applying pressure in the defence and forcing Spain’s mistakes. Yet the rhythm was good in the first half, with the two sides combining for 29 goals, as none of the two goalkeepers had a consistent outing, alternating some pair of saves with some easy goals conceded.

But after a 3:0 run, spurred by Spain’s steals and blocks in defence, subsequently converted by the pacy wings, Jennifer Gutierrez and Maitane Echeverria, the European side started to control the match. Angola bounced back, tying the score three times, but eventually it was Spain which had the lead at the break, 15:14.

It was the slightest of leads for the European side, whose attacking issues were once again on display, despite coach Ambros Martin trying to constantly change and improve his attack. Therefore, Angola started the second half better, even took a 17:15 lead after their 3:0 run to start the second part, yet could not make further gains, due to their physicality in defence.

As the legs were getting more and more tired, Angola’s defence started conceding penalties and suspensions, due to their fouls, including a red card conceded by left wing Natalia Santos, for a foul against Spain’s back, Paula Arcos.

But after Spain took a 19:18 lead, the team collapsed entirely. Failing to score at least one goal between the 45th and 58th minutes, for a period of 13 minutes and 16 seconds, Spain were left exposed and Angola duly took advantage, creating a 7:0 unanswered run, with a fantastic display from centre back Vilma Nenganga, scorer of seven goals, to secure their win, 26:21.

After the African side delivered wins against Romania and Montenegro at Rio 2016, they have now delivered another exciting performance against Spain, their maiden win against the European side in history, after Angola had previously drew with Spain at Athens 2004, 24:24.

The African champions have two points in a well-balanced group, while Spain, which are due to face the Netherlands, Hungary and hosts France in their next three matches, have seen their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals slim down considerably.