Laso and Imaz qualify for the semifinals after defeating P. Etxeberria and Rezusta

Euskaraz irakurri: Laso eta Imaz finalerdietara sailkatu dira P. Etxeberria eta Rezusta garaituta

Unai Laso and Ander Imaz have achieved this Friday the pass to the semifinal group of the Couples Championship after defeating Peio Etxeberria and Beñat Rezusta (22-21) in the play-off game played in Amorebieta-Etxano. For his part, Jon Ander Pena and Jon Mariezkurrena this Sunday at the Frontón Bizkaia, they face the losers of the previous match to take the last place in the next phase, after being victorious in the match played in Zumaia against Mikel Urrutikoetxea and Jon Ander Albisu (22-10). Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on eitb.eus and ETB1, at 5:00 p.m.

In the first game, Etxeberria and Rezusta were the ones who started commanding, since the first goals were theirs. The reds tried to get ahead on the scoreboard, but Rezusta was firm behind and Peio gave speed to the ball to take the goals (3-6). The first minutes of the game have elapsed with this rhythm: each goal made by one couple has been answered by the other. In fact, the biggest difference in the game was five goalsat 7-12.

But from then on things have changed. Laso and Imaz have scored five consecutive goals to level the game and take control of the game. The Blues have become nervous, and have even wasted some easy balls, putting the game uphill (16-14).

The two couples have reached the last goals of the game very evenly (19-19), and each time was worth gold. They have extended the game until the last goal. In the end, the reds have come out winners and they have bagged the pass to the next phase (22-21).

In Zumaia, on the other hand, it has been possible to see a very different game. Peña and Mariezkurrena have been very strong from the beginning and they have not given any option to Urrutikoetxea and Albisu.

The reds have not been fine, and after half an hour the difference was already seven goals (3-10) and it did not seem that there was a possibility of changing the trend. What’s more, the difference has been increasing little by little and with the final result It has been extended to 12 goals (22-10). Peña has scored 11 goals, showing that he is in good shape.

With these results, Laso and Imaz move on to the semifinal group, in which Etxeberria and Rezusta will have a new chance to qualify this Sunday, March 5, in the match against Peña II and Mariezkurrena II. The couple formed by Urrutikoetxea-Albisu has been left out of the championship.

The Etxeberria-Rezusta couple has reached the play-off, achieving third place in the general classification, in which Laso and Imaz finished fourth. Peña and Mariezkurrena managed to take fifth place, while Urrutikoetxea and Imaz took sixth.

As a consequence, couples Ezkurdia-Martijachampions last year, and Jaka-Aranguren they remained out of championship. The pairs formed by elordi-zabaleta and Altuna-Tolosainstead, they automatically went to the next phase for staying in the top two.