Benidorm 28-34 Barça: Two more points!

That's two more points in the Liga Asobal as the FC Barcelona handball team won 28-34 away at Benidorm (28-34) after a final push for victory. Carlos Ortega's side put in a consistent performance and found their opponents hard to shake off, with both Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas and Dika Mem playing key roles in the win.

Nothing to choose between the sides

The first game back after the international break started with Benidorm constantly attacking with seven players, leading to the blaugranes trailing initially. However, they managed to redress the balance by halfway through the first half, with two goals opening up the first lead in their favour (10-12). 

Aitor Ariño, Dika Mem, Melvyn Richardson and Javi Rodríguez were all in form, but Benidorm remained in the game to tie the score at 14-14. Emil Nielsen made two good stops to prevent the home side from regaining the lead, but they managed to score three without reply, with the score 17-16 at the break and all to play for. 

Final push to claim victory

After the break, Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas made saves to provide a platform to build a lead, and Barça captain Dika Mem helped to do just that as the blaugranes went +3. Again Benidorm's attack worked hard to make it all square with less than 15 minutes to go (25-25, min 47).

Dika Mem and Luis Frade still had gas in the tank in the final part of the game, and the visitors went three up with four minutes to play. This was in no small part due to a good defence and saves by Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, who played a vital role in the final push for victory. Nielsen also came up trumps to stop an in form Valles, meaning the lead was +5 with a minute to go. Final score 28 - 34 and two more points towards the Liga Asobal title.

GAME STATS

Benidorm 28 
Barça, 34

Benidorm: David Roca (3), Nacho Valles (11), José Oliver (-), Vujović (2), Sempere (), Moscariello (3) and Ramiro Martínez (5) - starting seven - Krystian Witkowski (-), Barceló (1), Zhukov (1), De Angelis () and Pablo Vainstein (2)
Barça: Nielsen (1), Janc (3), Dika Mem (6), Carlsbogard (3), Javi Rodríguez (5), N'Guessan (3) and Ariño (2) - starting seven - Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas (-), Richardson (2), Pol Valera (2), Frade (5), Wanne (2) and Djordje Cikusa (-)

Partial scores: 4-2; 8-7; 9-10; 11-13; 14-14; 17-16 // 18-19; 20-22; 23-25; 26-27; 28-30; 28-34

Referees: Luís Ignacio Colmenero and Víctor Rollán