It was inevitable, but fans will once again see Sabadell and Mataro lock horns as they have both progressed to the final of the Copa de la Reina.
Both teams had fairly straight-forward semi-final assignments, and both won by seven clear scores. The reigning champions Mataro downed hosts Terrassa 14-7, while Sabadell swept aside Mediterrani, 16-9.
The two teams have met five times this season, with Mataro winning on three occasions, including the last two meetings. We never get tired of this match, and as ever, it promises to be a hugely entertaining affair.
CN Mataro 14 – 7 CN Terrassa (4-1, 5-2, 3-0, 2-4)
Mataro: M. Sanchez, S. Morell, S. Van de Kraats 4, A. Gual 1, V. Sevenich 1, R. Keszthelyi-Nagy 1, C. Cambray 2, C. Nogue 1, S. Avegno 1, Q. Bertran 1, A. Espar 1, M. Claveria Murillo 1, E. Carmona Herrera
Terrassa: S. Domene, L. Ferrer, N. Morillo, C. Cantero 1, D. Quinzada, N. Ten Broek, P. Pena 2, D. Menakerman, P. Camus 2, A. Finestra, F. Bosveld 2, E. Monllor
Mataro has advanced to the Copa de la Reina final, after securing a convincing victory over Terrassa in the semi-finals. The defending champions were led by the exceptional talent of Van de Kraats, who scored four goals, guiding Dani Ballart’s team to a repeat of last season’s final against Sabadell.
Mataro took control of the game from the outset, with Van de Kraats netting a penalty just 17 seconds into the match. Keszthelyi, Sevenich, and Nogue each added to the lead, allowing Mataro to finish the first quarter with a 4-1 advantage.
Mataro continued their dominance throughout the game, extending their lead to a comfortable 9-3 by halftime, with Gual, Cambray, and Avegno all finding the back of the net. The Maresme’s excellent defence shut down any attempts by Terrassa to mount a comeback in the third quarter, with Espar, Van de Kraats, and Claveria Murillo each scoring to give Mataro an insurmountable 12-3 lead.
Although Terrassa managed to score four goals in the final quarter, the result had already been decided, with Mataro securing their place in the final, where they will face off against their rivals Sabadell.
The final promises to be an exciting match, as Mataro looks to defend their title against a formidable Sabadell team. With Van de Kraats in top form and the rest of the team performing at a high level, Mataro will be eager to repeat their success from last season’s final.
Rita Keszthelyi, the Spanish League’s top goal-scorer. Photo: RFEN.
Astralpool Sabadell 16 – 9 CE Mediterrani (8-3, 4-2, 4-0, 0-4)
Sabadell: L. Ester, M. Ortiz 1, P. Leiton, S. Van der Sloot 2, M. Serrano, M. Steffens 2, E. Ruiz 1, M. Garcia 3, J. Forca 2, B. Ortiz 4, N. Perez 1, I. Gonzalez, M. Carrasco
Mediterrani: I. Costa, A. Munoz, A. Crevier 1, A. Marcos, V. Bakoc, C. Rodriguez, C. Espar 2, D. Moreno 1, P. Prats 1, H. Dalmases, P. Crespi 2, S. Lizotte 2, G. Palm
The reigning Spanish champions showed no mercy in their match against Mediterrani, producing yet another sublime attacking performance that sent them into their sixteenth consecutive Copa de la Reina final (16-9).
Bea Ortiz paved the way with a quad of goals. Maica Garcia put away three, while veterans Van der Sloot and Steffens each netted braces.
It was a true masterclass from the seventeen-time winners, who effortlessly penetrated the Medi defence with their lightning-fast counter-attacks and impressive turnovers.
Marian Diaz’s side had no answer to Sabadell’s offensive prowess, as they found themselves trailing by seven goals at the halfway stage. The game was already slipping away from Medi, as Sabadell’s eyes were firmly fixed on the final.
Although the first quarter was evenly matched, with both teams tied at 3-3, Sabadell soon took control of the game with a blistering run of five consecutive goals. Two penalty-scores early in the second quarter from B. Ortiz and Van der Sloot took Sabadell to double-digits, leaving Medi struggling to keep up.
With a comfortable seven-goal lead at halftime, Sabadell showed no signs of slowing down, as they maintained their dominant lead to the end. Although Medi managed to salvage some pride in the final quarter with four goals, it was too little, too late, as Sabadell emerged victorious with a final score of 16-9.
This was yet another masterful display from Sabadell, who proved once again why they are the team to beat in the Copa de la Reina. With their eyes firmly fixed on the prize, Sabadell will be hoping to add yet another trophy to their impressive collection in the upcoming final.
Read more about the Women’s Water Polo in Spain
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
