The clash between the two teams from Lanzarote in the Women's Silver League more than lived up to expectations, with an exciting match that didn't find a winner until the last minute, moments in which the most experienced players of CICAR Lanzarote Ciudad de Arrecife made their efforts to maintain their chances of victory effective, after being behind for most of the match.
The tenth matchday left, in the municipal hall of Titerroy, the best match of the category so far in the competition. A match of great physical depth, a premise that might seem to previously harm CB Zonzamas CICAR Lanzarote, but nothing could be further from the truth. Despite the obvious physiognomic differences, the 'batateras' grew in effort, carrying the baton of the match for most of the minutes.
The locals would open the scoring, but CB Zonzamas CICAR Lanzarote would respond quickly, coming back and even taking the lead on the edge of the third minute of the match. These were moments of great equality, with a back and forth that would last throughout the match and that infected the stands. Special mention to that large group of CB Zonzamas CICAR Lanzarote fans who returned, once again, to conquer the capital's bastion, making themselves noticed and being a clear majority in the Arrecife stands to leave the red and blacks playing at 'home'.
Precisely the visitors were the most effective, with fewer errors with the ball, which allowed them to have possession to break the continuous ties. In defense, the danger was in the connection with the pivot in the seven-meter line, with a splendid duel between Ingrid Roger and Leticia Cobo. And CB Zonzamas CICAR Lanzarote was more solid at the back than its rival, very supportive in the assists and much more agile in the basculations.
The exclusions were the order of the day in a derby of great tension where the referees allowed a lot of contact. It was in those moments of numerical inferiority when the defenses of both teams gave way, with Gleinys Reyes achieving 7-9 in the seventeenth minute, the biggest lead so far in the match.
This advantage would be maintained until three of the last four possessions of the first half were missed. Two shots blocked by the defense and a missed penalty were well used by CICAR Lanzarote Ciudad de Arrecife to reach the break with a 13-13 draw.
The second half started better for the locals, quickly coming back and leaving the electronic scoreboard at 15-13. CB San José Obrero found a plus in the outside shot that began to give them results, at least until Susi Sánchez in goal returned the options to equalize.
With goals from Danae Miranda, Lucía Chacón and Brenda Roger, the tables were recovered on the scoreboard, not without the very important help of the other 'batatera' goalkeeper, Ana Martín. Shortly after, Chacón would dye the scoreboard red and black again after achieving 16-17, although the visiting attack was beginning to stall with numerous crosses that were made too far to a defensive line that was waiting very far back, which allowed the capitalinos to have time to rectify in defense.
Thus, the situation of the first half returned, with the two teams fighting for a score that was more tilted towards the visiting side, but at the same time quite open since the advantages were by the minimum. A pity, because Patro Barambio's team had several possessions to extend their advantage, but they failed to turn them into goals.
The great physical wear would be noticed in the last quarter of an hour, in which the two teams began to make unforced errors. Crazy minutes in which Brenga Roger even achieved a new two-goal lead (19-21) that was maintained with six minutes left to finish the match (22-24).
But a CICAR Lanzarote Ciudad de Arrecife somewhat fresher physically and with much more experience in this type of match was not going to give up many more opportunities. David Betancort's team managed to reduce the differences again by the minimum, acquiring more oxygen and morale as the locals saw that they were reaching the final stretch with options in a match that had become really complicated for them.
Ana Martín made an extraordinary save to maintain the 25-25 draw when there was only a minute and a half left in the match. But a pass intercepted by the local defense ended up being resolved with a counterattack that put CICAR Lanzarote Ciudad de Arrecife back on the scoreboard, twenty-five minutes later.
A heart-stopping ending that closed with red and black misadjustments and precipitations, added to another missed penalty, to leave the end of the match at a final 27-25 that clearly shows that the 'batatero' team is capable of being superior to the teams at the top of the table.
Great match that was taken by CICAR Lanzarote Ciudad de Arrecife, who in the absence of a tactical board knew how to exploit the individual qualities of their most experienced players, who knew how to maintain the chances of victory, in addition to not giving up and continuing to fight. This time the great physical wear of CB Zonzamas CICAR Lanzarote is left without a prize in terms of points, but not in sensations, with the 'batatero' team coming out mentally quite reinforced despite not being able to take the Lanzarote derby.
Technical sheet
CICAR Lanzarote Ciudad de Arrecife (27): Irene Sánchez, Petra Jersek, Esther de Miguel (4), Ana Barquín (1), Leticia Cobo (3), Mozuki Hosoe (2), Adina Guidoarca (4) -starting seven-, Nabila de Ganzo, Anja Bojanic (4), Nagore Sáenz (4), Aida Brull, Ahinara Hernández, Ana Marín, Miriam Páez (5).
CB Zonzamas CICAR Lanzarote (25): Susi Sánchez, Gleinys Reyes (7), Ingrid Roger (5), Danae Miranda (1), Brenda Roger (6), Mary Sánchez (1), Lucía Chacón (2) -starting seven-, María de León, Marta Cuenca (1), Jana Pinilla, Ana Martín, Cari Santana, Luana Albán, Berenice Frelier (2), Sandra Parada.
Referees: José Alberto and Enrique Javier Romero Cruz. They expelled local Petra Jersek after three exclusions. They excluded locals Anja Bojanic, Leticia Cobo and Adina Guidoarca. They excluded visitors Brenda Roger, Ingrid Roger, Lucía Chacón, Berenice Frelier and official Casimiro Tejera.
Partial scores every five minutes: 3-3, 6-5, 7-7, 9-10, 10-12, 13-13 (break), 16-15, 17-18, 18-19, 20-21, 23-24, 27-25.
