"Iron men, forged in so many battles, dreaming like children."
Serve the phrase of Juan Marsé to describe the happiness of the Spanish team at the end of the game this Sunday.
They have beaten Portugal and qualified for the 2023 World Cup in France. The sentence closes the novel 'If they tell you that I fell' and precisely on Thursday, the captain of the Lions, Fernando López, reviewing the bad times that this team has gone through, sentenced: "We fell many times and we got up".
When, for months, Spain had no results, he threw faith;
when she didn't find her game, she sought refuge in order;
when, at last, she has gone into a trance, no rival has checked his determination.
Neither Russia with the time fulfilled, nor Romania nor Portugal.
Portugal wanted precisely to send its attack and Spain managed to contain it from the start.
The first visitor stampedes were stopped in a few meters but the ball and the pace were green.
Also the first lead (minute 6, 0-3; penalty kick scored by Marques).
On the next attack,
Pilier
Zabala raised the ball from a grouping, sprinted fifteen meters and no one could stop him (minute 8, 5-3).
The quality of
Os Lobos
was evident in his first entry in the Spanish 22nd.
Touche
and ball to three quarters so that the fly-half Portela could pose in the opposite corner (min. 11, 5-10, with the transformation of Marques).
Spain was resurrected with its classic recipe.
If Portugal had stopped the first
touche-maul
, it was not possible with the second.
The platform advanced and the third line Quercy conquered the mark (minute 19, 12-10 with the conversion of Ordás).
The Lions stepped hard on the Portuguese terrain.
Captain López's escape was stopped, another run down the wing was one meter away, the platform forced a penalty.
And the Spanish team decided to play it with the forward, which was feeling superior.
Test.
The third in 25 minutes (min 26, 19-10, with the conversion of Ordas).
Portugal usually profits from any error.
A bad catch, a fumble, a hold.
Thus he entered the 22nd again and, playing ahead, Bettencourt scored with the posts (minute 32, 19-17 with the transformation of Marques).
The party entered a spiral of alternatives.
In front of the conjurers of the Portuguese line, the ability of the elusive Ordás, the opener of the winged feet, gaining meters in each race
.
Subtlety and roundness.
Because, at the exit of another touche, the platform of the Lions rehearsed Pinto again (min. 38, 24-17) to command before intermission.
With good balls, obviously, you play better and that was a key on the ground, that the visitors could not feed their waves from behind with the home defense out of position.
Ordás and Marques resumed, on the return, the duel of kickers (min. 47, 27-20; minute 54, 30-23).
With the changes, the Lions acquired muscle and forcefulness.
Each percussion pushed back the Portuguese defense.
Spain, prosaic, focused on defense, was suffocating the Portuguese imagination.
The best news for Santos' team was that the minutes were passing.
Scoring three by three was a minor but necessary prize,
the Leones
no longer liked adventures (min.58, 33-23, hit by Ordás).
In this dynamic, Portugal chose to throw a clear blow to the side.
His green offense ended in a lost ball, his chances were reduced, but the suffocation of lost balls did not end.
Because the game ended up breaking, the worst scenario for the Lions, condemned to defend on their line.
The Spanish team recovered the ball, flirted with the drama, tried to resist by kidneys.
Portugal posed but did not convert (33-28).
There was one play left and the Lions kept it very far from their posts, they recovered the ball, tied the victory.
The euphoric invasion of grass celebrates a classification that overcame days of enormous uncertainty.
Next weekend Spain visits Georgia with the difficult hope of winning the European Championship for the first time.
In September 2023 they will play South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and the Asia/Pacific playoff winner.
It is said soon, it has taken 24 years to achieve it.
Spanish rugby has plenty of cause for celebration.
And of course, the fans.
You can't win a match with them alone, but their heat made it more difficult to lose.
With their momentum in the minutes of agony, they have also helped this Sunday to remain in the memory of an emerging sport that, now, is looking to the future.
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Know more
RugbyThe Spanish rugby team wins the Women's European Championship against Russia (27-0)
RugbyThe Spanish rugby team also beat Romania (38-21) and is in position to access the World Cup
RugbyIreland conquer Twickenham and will fight for the title with France on the last day
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