The ‘Guerreras’ come back to Austria in Rocamora’s debut

The Spanish women’s handball team beat Austria (24-29) this Wednesday on the third day of Group 6 of the qualifier for the 2026 European Championship held in Vienna, where the Joaquín Rocamora era debuted.

The new coach of the ‘Guerreras’ celebrated a good victory in his debut thanks to the great second half of his team at the Sport Arena Wien in the Austrian capital. The local goalkeeper Lena Ivancok was the nightmare of the attack of a Spain that went from less to more, let go of its nerves and recovered its competitive gene.

After 12-10 at halftime, the two-time European runners-up found effectiveness and turned the score around with authority. The victory, to be confirmed again on Saturday in Algeciras against Austria, gives Spain sole leadership with three victories, six points, compared to four for the Austrians.

The ‘Guerreras’, with the objective of that first place on the way to the next European Championship, were harmed by exclusions in the first half, by many losses and by the 50% of stops that Ivancok achieved. Maddi Aalla Rotaetxe also helped between the sticks to ensure that the Spanish disadvantage was not greater after the first half hour.

Danila So Delgado, who finished with seven goals, and Alicia Fernández took the dropper with which they scored for a Rocamora team that asked for patience from its team. After the break, the new coach, who took over from Ambros Martín who said goodbye after the 2025 World Cup, managed to make Spain work.

The ‘Guerreras’ changed the script with a strong return from the locker room and in just ten minutes they turned the score around. The locals were out of combat, even more so with the expulsion of Ines Ivancok-Soltic, their best scorer with seven goals, ten minutes from the end. Spain were also without So Delgado, but Alicia, María O’Mullony, Lyndie Tchaptchet and Paula Arcos contributed to a great comeback in Vienna.