FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.03.2010 21:07

Fourth title of the season (38-35)

Verònica Díez (Enviada especial)

FC Barcelona won their fourth title of the season when they overcame Reale Ademar de León 38 a 35 in a thrilling final of the Spanish Cup which went into extra time.

It was a game with everything as Adamar started dominating and then Barca came back to take a six goal lead into the break. It was close in the second half too as Ademar made it tough for the Catalans.

Tight and aggressive

With a tight defence and a lot of aggression in attack, Ademar moved into the lead early on, but couldn’t put any real distance between them and Barca and a 7th minute goal from Iker Romero put Barca 4-3 up. Both teams were using the same tactics with the defences making it hard to play on the counter.

Romero hits five

On 12 minutes, Romero made it 8-6 with the first of five goals that took Barca to a 12-6 lead and the team were clearly growing in confidence and dominating till seven minutes before the break when Ademar cut their lead to just 3 goals, 14-11. There was worse to come though, as Rutenka was shown a straight red and Barca lost one of their most influential players. At half time they still led though, 16 - 12.

Close

Ademar closed the gap to just two goals (18-16) by the fifth minute of the second half, a score that moved to 20-10 by the tenth minute and Barca were suffering now, with Daniel Saric doing sterling work to keep Ademar out. But even he couldn’t stop Vega Ademar drawing level at 21-21on 14 minutes and Barca’s nerves began to show. On 17 Doder made it 22 – 23, before Castresana increased the lead to 25 to 27 and Boldson was sent off with just 9 minutes left to play.

It was a tense final few minutes with Ortigosa beating Barrufet (30-31) in the last minute and with just 18 seconds left, it looked as if Ademar would take the title, but up popped Juanín García to draw Barca level and there was even time for. Dani Sarmiento to see what would have been a winning goal ruled to have gone in after the final whistle.

Extra time

Two five minute halves of extra time were then played. It was pretty close in the first, ending 34-33, but Barca lost Joachim Boldsen for three cards. Ademar came back, but Laszlo and Víctor opened a gap before Saric saved a penalty, Doder and Jesper brought it back to 37-35 with a minute to go and finally Victor Tomas made it safe at 38-35.