21.04.2008, 12:35
Third title for Ciudad Real this season

Ciudad Real win Spanish Cup after a dramatic endgame beating Barcelona by 31-30.

Third title for Ciudad Real this season

Men’s Champions League finalist Ciudad Real won the Spanish Cup last weekend. This was their third of the season after winning Spanish Super Cup and Asobal Cup earlier.

This season has almost been perfect for coach Talant Djusebaiev with only the CL Final left and the final phase of the Asobal League where they are favourites.

The final of the Spanish Cup brought great emotions and Ciudad Real had to suffer a lot to beat Barcelona by 31-30.

The Swedish winger Jonas Kallmann scored the decisive goal with just four seconds to the end of the game. Barcelona tried to equalise, but the time was over and Ciudad won again.

Things went better for Ciudad before the break. They controlled the game and the score. Urios Fonseca came in as a substitute and it proved to be the right decision. The Cuban-born caused a lot of difficulties for the Catalonian defence. Coach Cadenas tried to stop him with the veteran Andrei Xepkin, but he was not able to.

Losert and Kasper Hvidt were not as lucky as usual and only Iker Romero kept his team in the game. The halftime score was 19-15 for Ciudad.

Hvidt improved for the second half and Barcelona had chance to win again. The Cadenas defence worked well and the game was equal until the final.

Lozano and Rocas helped Romero in attack and the match has seen a thrilling endgame. It was a great show for the fans with Ciudad more effective in the definitive moments.

The two teams will meet again within ten days to fight for the Asobal League title.

TEXT: Fernando Urra Goñi