The shoot-outs, against Malaysia, put the Spanish team in the quarters

La selecció espanyola, amb onze jugadors catalans amb paper destacat en el combinat absolut, s'ha guanyat l'accés als quarts de final de la XV FIH COPA DEL MÓN DE HOCKEY, que s'està jugant a l'Índia des del 13 al January 29 The team is in the quarters after beating the Malaysian team in a match that was decided in the shoot outs (3-4), ending in a 2-2 draw, with goals from Marc Miralles and Xavier Gispert. In the shoot-outs, it was necessary to reach the sixth throw to decide the game.

In the course of the first half, Spain was much superior and just starting has already caused the first penalty corner, but Marc Miralles was unable to complete the goal, the second penalty corner also did not end in the opposing net. At the end of the first half, the score remained tied at zero.

On the way back from the break, Faizal Saari beat the Spanish goalkeeper, Adrian Rafi, with a cross shot (34'). Max Caldas' team continued their fight and turned the result around with a great end of the quarter. Miralles was unable to score in the fourth penalty corner, but he did not fail in the stroke (40'). There was also a great play by Jordi Bonastre, which was completed by Xavier Gispert, in the forty-first minute, which put Spain ahead.

The Malaysian team went all out in the last quarter and scored after 30 seconds of play, although the video referee ended up canceling it, but in the forty-eighth minute the equalizing goal up on the scoreboard. Max Caldas' players have forced three more penalty corners that have not been converted into goals, thus reaching the shoot outs, in which Santander's Mario Garín has replaced Adrian Rafi. Miralles, Gispert and Bonastre scored 3-3 in the shoot outs. The fifth was missed by both Firhan Ashari and Marc Reyné and it came to sudden death, where Marc Miralles scored again, giving the pass to quarters.

Twenty are the players who have traveled to India, and eleven of them are Catalan: Adrián Rafi (FC Barcelona), Xavier Gispert, Gerard Clapés and Marc Recasens (Club Egara), Jordi Bonastre, Marc Vizcaíno, Pau Cunill and Pepe Cunill (Atlético Terrassa), Marc Miralles and Marc Reyné (Real Polo Club); Pere Amat (Club Egara) was one of the two reserve players and that the selector has lined up to replace the player César Curiel who has been unwell.

The opponent in the quarter-final match is Australia and will be played in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, January 24, at 4:30 pm (12:00 Spanish time).