Regular substitutes in the big Couples Championship, Iker Larrazabal and Iosu Eskiroz confirmed this Saturday at the Labrit in Pamplona their status as favorites in the Promotion final by beating Zabala and Gaskue 16-22 with a performance below their chances. Delivering twelve goals, six per beard, did not prevent them from taking the well-deserved victory.
The setbacks were greater on the rival side. “I congratulate the winners,” a sad Andoni Gaskue came forward to say before confirming what was an open secret watching him play. “At the beginning a ball got into my right hand and I was fair throughout the game.” He was pushing the ball instead of hitting it.
Zabala assumed responsibilities, helped his teammate, saved him dozens of hits from the ball, tried to keep the final alive… But he ended up surrendering to the evidence because it was impossible to beat just a couple to which the forward provided power and the defender, above all safety .
Game time:
64 minutes and 21 seconds.Balls to good:
502.Goals of service:
Zabala, 0. Larrazabal, 2.Serve fouls:
Zabala, 0. Larrazabal, 0.So many at stake:
Zabala, 3. Gaskue, 0. Larrazabal, 11. Eskiroz, 1.So many lost:
Zabala, 5. Gaskue, 3. Larrazabal, 6. Eskiroz, 6.Highlighter:
1-0, 1-1, 4-1, 4-3, 6-3, 6-7, 7-7, 7-9, 8-9, 8-15, 12-15, 12-16, 13-16, 13-19, 14-19, 14-20, 15-20, 15-21, 16-21 y 16-22.Output odds:
100 to 80 in favor of Larrazabal and Eskiroz. 60 to 100 below.Incidences:
The Pamplona Labrit caresses the full house with about 950 spectators. Cheer banners for the four finalists. The group of bookmakers is left with six members after the retirement of Miguel Santos, 76 years old and who has carried out this work for 33 years.
Baiko’s started off bewildering. Eskiroz made improper mistakes for a solvent pelotari, even more so in this category. And Larrazabal lost a couple of saves to the txoko, a shot that he has polished in recent months and that has worked for him both in this competition and in his hopeful forays into the First Division.
He also made some defensive mistakes on the left wall, a section in which he knows an obvious progression, based on training sessions, games and learning the trade.
These concessions allowed Zabala and Gaskue to gain three goals on two occasions: 4-1 and 6-3. The striker from La Rioja brought a clear strategy of touching the left wall with the serve to avoid Larrazabal’s volleys, which began to appear in the rally with such unusual force.
the difference grows
There was a long game ahead. Settling down on the field and beginning to dominate the rallies allowed Larrazabal and Gaskue to first balance the score and then obtain income that grew with the passing of the minutes.
Gaskue’s right wing, brilliant throughout this edition, lacked the nerve and wrist movement that have helped him climb the Aspe ranks. The pain was patent.
The finishing opportunities for the blues appeared and Larrazabal began to transform them, especially with the hook. He signed two kick-off actions. He kept the volley active. He punished behind to cause Gaskue’s mistake or delay Zabala’s position on the court.
The seven goals of difference in the electronic were the product of a clear superiority. Larrazabal and Eskiroz, without anyone’s help, ran the risk of complicating their lives. Three of his errors allowed the red approach to three goals: 12-15 and 13-16. He was scared. Only a sinking could lead them to defeat. They corrected in time and continued afloat.