Alicia Fernández said it in the semifinal preview: "The key is going to be our defense." And he succeeded. Spain raised the wall and against it crashed, helplessly, the Norway of Stine Oftedal (28-22). The intensity of Las Guerreras was colossal, fitting only eight goals in the second half, where the appearance of Silvia Navarro under sticks was decisive. The national team will play the World Cup final for the first time in its history. A milestone that seemed far, far away, before the start of the championship.

The Warriors will face the Netherlands (Sunday, 12.30 pm, Teledeporte), which defeated Russia in the last breath (33-32). The 'orange', thanks to a decisive launch of Van der Heijden, secured a new medal. His baggage in the last championships is excellent: silver in the 2015 World Cup, silver in the 2017 European and bronze in the 2017 World Cup.

The Scandinavian team, the one that accumulated the least losses in the tournament, signed seven in the first half. Spain protected itself back and distanced itself on the scoreboard with an inspired 'Shandy' Barbosa, with five goals in the first half. Everything seemed to roll downhill. Even Almudena Rodríguez adorned himself with a 'fly' planned by Carlos Viver in a timeout.

But Norway's attack began to carburete. Oftedal, to which Viver placed an individual marking in different sections of the match, found slits between the Spanish defense. Malin Aune scored from the head and the clash went on tables to rest (13-13).

It was then the moment of Silvia Navarro. Years do not pass by the Valencian veteran. Two consecutive stops, one of them with his foot, threw Las Guerreras to an advantage of four goals. Marta López, in charge of the individual defense over Oftedal, took advantage of the gaps from the end to overcome the Norwegian goalkeeper.

Spain raised the wall again in defense. Ainhoa ​​Hernández recovered and ran Almudena Rodríguez. With an advantage of six goals (18-24) in the absence of fifteen minutes, Viver asked his players for long possessions, but the gale in forming backlash after recovery was unstoppable.

Thus the outcome was reached, with differences around the five goals. That survival exercise of Las Guerreras, before one of the teams with the most offensive talent in the World Cup, is well worth a World Cup final. The first final of a World Cup for the Spanish women's handball.

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