Africa-Press – Angola. The 1º de Agosto team placed itself, on Wednesday (18), ahead of the play-off, of the final of the 43rd National Senior Men’s Handball Championship, thanks to the 24-18 victory over rival Interclube, in the first of three scheduled games, played at the Acácias Rubras pavilion in Benguela.
The initial favoritism of the Interclube team, attributed to the Ministry of the Interior, for being two-time national champion, was diluted in an intense game of suffocation for its goal, in which only serious toil would allow victory. At half-time, the almost invisible numbers on the manual scoreboard (the pavilion is devoid of an electronic one) showed 13-7, in favor of 1º de Agosto.
As a gift to the audience, the game started with a gesture of “fair play”. After the initial whistle, the Interclube athletes, in possession of the ball, chose to offer hugs to their opponents. After the hug, the “thing” got serious; the game started and Adelino Pestana “Amarelo” scored the first goal. Feliciano Coveiro replied for 1º de Agosto and for about five minutes the tune remained in balance.
Soon 1º de Agosto showed to be more focused, and started to build a gap in the scoreboard. After the 4-2, 6-3, 8-3, Kidó requested one and another “time out” which was useless. The team did not react, stuck in the movements, making successive technical errors. the two-time champion lost 7-13.
In the resumption, Interclube pulled the gallons, built a wall with the powerful Moreno, Tohmoloh and Jairoslav to sustain the offensive impetus of others. The score slowed down a little, Interclube reached the four goals difference, but Geovani Muachissengue frustrated most of Interclube’s moves. Kidó was without solutions. Filipe Cruz managed the team for the second game, scheduled for tomorrow.
The competition returns, today, with the dispute of the last round of the 5th to 8th place. In the all against all, the Bank is closer to staying in 5th position. He has two wins in an equal number of games. Today, against Mora do Virei, a team without any victory in the competition, the bankers can consummate the position.
In the other game, Clube Nacional de Benguela and Desportivo de Chicapa battle for sixth place. Whoever wins secures the best spot.
Interclube “B” and Sporting de Cabinda will play in the second game of the “play-off” for third place. A new victory for Interclube (they won the first match) ensures third place for the team led by William de Almeida.
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