Krisztián Manhercz, Hungary’s right-back, apologized with his hand: the gesture tennis players make when a ball hits the net and lands on the opponent’s side. He had just scored the winning goal against Spain (12-11) in the World Cup semifinals, but he was barely celebrating. He was still surprised by what happened, awaiting the decision of the referees before the VAR screen.
In the last second of the game, a very difficult, desperate shot from him, without an angle, had slipped under the right arm of Unai Aguirre and had decided the meeting. It was a mistake by the Spanish goalkeeper. It was bad luck. In any case, it was the elimination of the team, which will have to seek qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in other events, in the next European or the next World Cup.
“The most important thing has been our defense in the last attacks. The launch has not been well thought out, I have seen that there was no time left, I have shot and that’s it”, declared Manhercz at the end of the game, already classified for the final that he will play against Greece. The Hungarian downplayed his goal due to the participation of chance in it, but he was also partly right.
Spain let the victory be taken from them in the fourth quarter. Up to five goals he received in that final set in which he was able to sentence time and time again and did not. With goals from Sergi Cabanas (8-10) y Blai Mallarach (9-11) had a wide advantage for several minutes and did not take advantage of it.
It was the same blocking as in the quarterfinals against France, the same one that had been intuited at some moments in the group stage. Given the importance of 2024, the coach, David Martinyou will have to solve that problem, although you will also have many points in favor.