The Gladiators let off steam against Qatar and finished the handball World Cup in 19th place

It took ten years and three World Cup matches for Los Gladiadores to beat Qatar. Was 26-22 against the Asian champion, a triumph that allowed them to end their time with a smile in the Main Round of the ecumenical tournament held in Poland-Sweden, where the final position left them in the rank 19which although statistically the third worst finish in their history, made them achieve their goal of competing in the second wheel.

You need to keep in mind that those directed by William Milan they played five of their six matches against the Europeans, who have historically dominated indoor sport. For defeats against similar powers Norway Y Germanythere were also other more painful ones ahead Serbian Y Holland.

But the joys had an added value, given that against North Macedonia they obtained the greatest victory in history against a European rival and this Monday the plug of Qatar was removed, a team that in recent years has been “strengthened” with many nationalized players.

The five-time consecutive Asian champion suffered the sporting revenge of Argentina, who dominated for the entire sixty minutes. Ignacio Pizarroauthor of 9 goals and MVP of the match, he was the top scorer of a team that stood out in defense, which made the difference in the first half (12:9) and managed it admirably in the second half.

It was Argentina’s 14th consecutive World Cup participation, with a 19th-place finish surpassing only 22nd in Japan 1997 (its first time) and 21st in Egypt 1999.

After this challenge, the big goal of Los Gladiadores will be the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile, where they will seek their fourth qualification for the Olympic Games.

“I want to congratulate my players because the hardest thing as a coach is to raise the spirit of the team and we did it. We had to beat Qatar because they had left us out of the 2021 World Cup in Egypt and today’s match had to take revenge in a way healthy, now we have to continue working with Argentina because that is our project”assured the coach Guillermo Milano.