Palacio de los Deportes de Riazor – A Coruña | July 18th, 2018
The fifth and penultimate day of the preliminary group stage began with a, a priori, interesting France-Switzerland. The Swiss scored first with a penalty in the fifth minute, but the French, who have come to the championship with only eight players, left the game resolved at halftime after getting four goals in the first period. In the end, a 5-2 favorable to France that keeps them second of group A.
The second morning game between England and Netherland, corresponding to group B, was also very animated. The tulips were looking for their first victory and, midway through the second period, it seemed that they had an up and coming match, but the English comeback turned the scoreboard over to finish winning by 6-4, thus achieving his second victory in the championship.
The afternoon session started with a vibrant Italy-Germany. In just six minutes they had already scored four goals with a 3-1 favorable to the Italians. The scoring streak did not stop during the 50 minutes, in a game where the Germans led by the Spanish Jordi Molet tried to surprise, but the best quality of the Alessandro Mariotti’s team ended up decanting the final result.
Then Spain faced the weak Belgium, which so far had accumulated one loss after another. Party of mere procedure for those of Alejandro Domínguez, with a convincing 0-15 at half time. Spain, who needed twenty goals difference to overcome Italy in case of an hypothetical draw, ended up winning by a convincing 0-22. Portugal closed the day with Austria in another match solved by those of Luís Sénica with a comfortable 1-15 in their favor.
In group A Portugal clearly dominates, that so far has not had any complicated game waiting to face France tomorrow. The same happens in the B, with Spain now as the new provisional leader awaiting what will happen on the final day against Italy.
For the sixth day of competition, the last day of the preliminary group stage, these are the matches among which Spain-Italy and Portugal-France stand out. If there are no surprises, they will decide the semifinal crosses:
10:00 a. m. | Netherland – Belgium
12:30 p. m. | Andorra – Austria
5:30 p. m. | Germany – England
8:00 p. m. | Spain – Italy
10:00 p. m. | Portugal – France