2023-11-02 22:01:20
The Spanish team started the ‘Golden League‘, one of the most prestigious handball tournaments, with a resounding victory (39-28) over the Netherlandsin a meeting that led to the international premiere of the twin brothers Djordje and Petar Cikusa, 17 years old, who finished their debut with four goals each. Both are two pearls of the Barça quarry born in Curbs (Girona).
A sign that age is nothing more than a number for the coach Jordi Riberawho has no qualms about mixing veterans like center Gedeón Guardiola, who turned 39 last October, with teenagers like the Cikusa.
In fact, the right side Georgewho entered the court after 23 minutes of play, became the youngest player to debut with the “Hispanos” in the last four decades, at 17 years, 10 months and 22 days.
????Ladies and gentlemen… A STAR HAS BEEN BORN!
????Petar Cikusa (@PetarCikusa) dancing on the 40×20#Hispanics #HispanosRTVE
???? pic.twitter.com/nLqLCa6DtK
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) November 2, 2023
His twin brother, center back Petar, had to wait a little longer to play his first minutes as a senior international, replacing Agustín Casado as game director of the Spanish team at the start of the second half.
Cheeky player
It only took a few seconds for Petar Cikusa to demonstrate the audacity that has turned the Barça player into one of the strongest promises in Spanish handball.
As soon as he entered the court, the young Spanish centre-back destroyed his pair with an electric one-on-one action, one of his specialties, and seconds later he made clear his shooting ability from one or two steps with a spectacular hip strike.
Clinging to the enthusiasm of the very young centre-back, author of four goals and an assist in his first fifteen minutes, the Spanish team achieved what it could not do in the entire first half, separating itself from the Dutch team.
????We leave you here an early Christmas gift
????With you, the best moments of the Cikusa brothers’ debut with the #Hispanics
They have become the youngest players to wear the Spanish national team shirt (@RFEBalonmano)#HispanosRTVE pic.twitter.com/om4GQfRoon
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) November 2, 2023
As reflected by the five goals advantage (30-25) with which Jordi Ribera’s men were halfway through a second period in which they showed the defensive solidity that they lacked in the first half.
A circumstance that allowed the “Hispanos” to end the connections with the pivots, especially in transition, which had caused so many problems in the first thirty minutes, which ended with a tie (19-19).
Denmark, the next rival
Spain only conceded 9 goals to the Dutch team in the second half (39-28), largely thanks to the outstanding performance of goalkeeper Sergey Hernández, who with his interventions joined the Cikusa brothers’ party.
Djordje and Petar Cikusa who made it clear that despite being 17 years old, Jordi Ribera has not made a mistake in giving them the alternative in a tournament in which they will have the opportunity to show their talent against some of the best teams in the world, such as the Danish team, current world champion, whom the “Hispanos” will face next Saturday (2:15 p.m.).
Datasheet:
Spain (39): Pérez De Vargas; Aleix Gómez (2), Garciandia (3), Dani Dujshebaev (2), Peciña (1), Casado (2) and Ángel Fernández (4) -starting squad- Sergey Hernández (ps), Solé (4), Figueras (6 ), Gedeón Guardiola (2), Sánchez-Migallón (-), Chema Márquez (1), Odriozola (1), Dani Fernández (2), Gurri (1), Djordje Cikusa (4) and Petar Cikusa (4)
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Netherlands (28): Ravensbergen; Schagen (2), Niels Versteijnen (2), Steins (4), Stavast (3), Ten Velde (3) y Kooij (3) -equipo inicial- Arjan Versteijnen (ps), Blaauw (-), Schoenaker (-) , Kooijman (-), Geenen (-), Jorn Smits (3), Smit (1), Claessens (1), Kay Smits (5, 2p) y Houtepen (1)
Score every five minutes: 3-3, 6-6, 10-8, 11-11, 15-14 and 19-19 (Halftime) 24-22, 27-23, 29-25, 33-27, 36-27 and 39-28 (Final)
#dazzling #debut #Hispanics #Barcelona #twins #Petar #Djordje #Cikusa