Two years after their 2018 title, the Spanish squad found themselves close to the golden medal once again, this time facing Slovenia in the semi-finals. Everything seemed to go as planned for the favourites, until the Slovenians picked up the pace and erased the five-goal gap. It was time for Alex Dujshebaev to show what he was capable of.
“I felt like damn, we have to go all in”, and he didn’t hesitate for one second.
What makes a handball genius? It seems to be a combination of talent, dedication and, as Alex Dujshebaev shows, the ability to work well under pressure. With a last-minute goal, the Spanish right back secured a 34:32 win for his team, one of the many moments in which he proved to be an important pillar for his colleagues.
“Alex is one of those you always want to have on the court in the last two minutes”.
The EHF EURO 2020 finals will forever remain in the history books as one of the most nail-biting matches of the competition. A great start from Croatia didn’t intimidate Jordi Ribera’s boys, who picked up the pace and levelled the game with only four minutes to go.
“Considering how the game was going, it was so even that our thought was to secure every possession, every single defence, every single attack.”
Once again, it was up to Dujshebaev to help the team. The defending champions had a one-goal advantage with 30 seconds left on the clock. “I have always been aware of that pressure, but I underline that I feel that the team trusts me.”
A miraculous shot from Alex Dujshebaev took the opposing team’s defence by surprise. “Maybe it wasn’t a normal throw, it was a much more surprising shot which is not that common. On top of that, it was between the defender’s legs.”
Another genius move from the right back player meant that Spain could finally celebrate a second consecutive win at the EHF EURO. “It’s the moment when you scream, celebrate, you don’t even know what happened, you just know it went in.”
Photo credits: J. L. Recio / RFEBM
