Brazil 2015: Placement Round 5-8 Preview (Day 2)

01 Aug. 2015

Brazil 2015: Placement Round 5-8 Preview (Day 2)

Both matches live and free at www.brazilhandball2015.com

Matches to be played at Uberlandia Sabiazinho arena, all times local.

Spain vs. Romania 11:00 - Placement Match 7/8

This return match-up of Brazil 2015 promises to be an interesting affair with Spain potentially finishing in their lowest position since 2009 (8th) and Romania having their best finish since 2005 (5th), the last time they qualified for the tournament.

Romania can boast one of the tournament's top scorers in Nicusor Negru on 51 goals and an average save rate of 32.2% from their three goalkeepers throughout the tournament.

Having lost their last three games, which included a 23:18 defeat against Spain in their Preliminary Group, Romania will be looking to end their stay in Brazil on a high.

For Spain, their experience in Brazil has been, ultimately, a disappointing one as they have been unable to replicate past tournament success, most recently with a silver medal in 2013.

Trying to end with a positive result, Spain will look towards their top scorer Alvaro Del Valle Navasa and Aleix Gomez Abello who have scored 45 goals between them, and to correct their run of two defeats which saw them lose to finalists Denmark (21:22) and their first placement match against Belarus (34:36).

Spain, however, will wonder how they ended up here after only losing just one of their games before the quarter-final, against Valero Rivera's Qatar.

Belarus vs. Sweden 13:15 - Placement Match 5/6

Staffan Olsson takes his team into their final match after their disappointing quarter-final loss against Egypt saw them face Romania who they beat 38:24 comfortably yesterday in the first round of the 5-8 Placement Matches.

With Pontus Zetterman (39), Niklas Mork (43) and Jerry Tollbring (44) all firing in attack, Sweden are bolstered by their two goalkeepers - Niklas Kraft and Tobias Thulin - who had an unbelievable 44.2% save rate yesterday against the Romanians but somewhat incredibly a 41.2% save rate for the whole of their tournament (8 games).

This appears, on paper, to be a formidable force, but Egypt hassled and harried the Swedes - early favourites after their blistering group stage exploits and came away 28:27 winners.

Against Romania, Sweden were concentrated and efficient - skills they will have to exhibit again today against a Belarus side who lost their first placement match 36:34 against Spain.

Belarus and Sweden faced off in their Preliminary Group match at the beginning of the tournament with the Scandinavians winning 38:23.

Artsem Karalek is the joint-third top score at Brazil 2015 ahead of the day with 51 strikes from 74 shots he has made for his Belarus team.

Photo: www.brazilhandball2015.com