Spain triumphs in the opening match against Germany with a score of 35-30.
On Friday in the airport city of Kloten, the eagerly awaited Airport Trophy kicked off, serving as the final tough test before the U21 European and World Championships. This year, U21 national teams from Germany, Spain, France, and Switzerland are competing for the prestigious title. In the opening match, the reigning U19 World Champions from Spain faced off against the defending champions Germany. There was speculation that this game might determine the tournament's future winner.
Germany started the game energetically, scoring the first goal from the line. However, Spain quickly responded through their standout player Djordje Cikusa Jelicic, who posed a constant threat with his ambidextrous play. The first three minutes saw a neck-and-neck battle, and by the ten-minute mark, the score was 8-8. Both goalkeepers initially struggled to find their form, leading to a high-scoring start.
From the 18th minute, both goalkeepers began showcasing their skills with several saves. German keeper Julian Buchele, in particular, kept his team in the game with a strong performance, including three consecutive saves before halftime. Neither team could pull away before the break, resulting in a 15-15 halftime score. Tim Gömmel stood out for Germany with a perfect shooting record and five goals, earning him the "Player of the Match" honor.
Spain started the second half with a man advantage due to a two-minute penalty against Germany and capitalized with an impressive Kempa trick. Germany struggled to break through Spain's solid defense during this phase and committed several technical errors.
In the 45th minute, Germany had to play shorthanded after Ben Battermann received a direct red card, allowing Spain to pull ahead by two goals. Led by Ian Barrufet Torrebejano (“Player of the match” for Spain), who scored six goals in total, Spain increased the pressure and expanded their lead. Germany appeared out of ideas and fatigued in the final stages, while Spain managed their lead effectively. The game ended with a 35-30 victory for Spain.
Spain won convincingly with a strong team performance. For Germany, the high error rate of 16 technical mistakes stood out, which the team could not overcome.
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