Grand premiere of the tournament Iron Cup at Deportivo de Bilbao. The tickets have been sold out Before opening the box office and the historic fronton of Alemeda Recalde, it had not seen a full house like this since 2011. The reason then was very different. The farewell of the shovel. Thirteen years later, the arrival of the Iron Cup and the Jai Alai League, has once again excite the public from Bilbao.

The two matches of the first day have been decided in the tie-breaker and the favorites Erkiaga and Ibarluzea They have suffered a lot to score their first points.

Gotia-Basque vs Urrutia-Del Rio: 15-6, 12-15, 2-5

In the first meeting, they had a much better start Alex Goitia and Thibault Basque. The Bidarte defender, very powerful, has dominated his rivals in the rally. Very confident and talking a lot with his forward, the brown pair has taken the lead 4-0, 6-2 and 8-3.

But in the second game, Thomas Urrutia and julen del rio they have reacted. Donibane Garazi’s striker finished off a good two-wall at 2-3, Del Rio began to do damage with the right, 2-5, and with the ball alive, they felt more comfortable on the court, and they arrived 5-8 at halftime. Goitia and Basque they have tied in box 11 but the yellows have taken off again and the Alavés From the river the set has finished: 12-15.

In it tie-breakerwhen they were 2-3, Basque had to cchange tool. With the new basket, they have tied at three and four, but the victory has fallen on the side of Urrutia and Basquethe couple that has qualified from the previous tournament.

Erkiaga-Ibarluzea vs Barandika-Lekerika (substitute Unda): 15-14, 14-15, 5-0

In the second game, Erkiaga and Ibarluzea They wore pink again after their title in the Winter Series in Gernika. The Ispaster artist soon began to do his thing. After an overwhelming start (4-0), Barandika and Lekerika They were able to hold on and play the game. The forward from Gernika has finished a goal from the rest of the serve (6-3). The person in charge of tying was Lekerika, from the right (7-7) but the pinks have arrived ahead at the first break (8-7). After the break, Barandika and Lekerika they have put themselves ahead (10-12) but after another goal from Aritz, Lekerika began to feel discomfort in his right arm. An injury that has forced him to leave the field when they were 13-13 on the scoreboard.

With the incorporation of substitute Iñigo Undait seemed that everything was already resolved, but far from it. Erkiaga and Ibarluzea They have closed the first set 15-14 but they have suffered in the second. It was difficult for Erkiaga and Ibarluzea to react, they had a tactical challenge (how to play against a different defender) and also a psychological one. The Bilbao public has begun to cheer for the couple, in theory, weaker. Tension, emotion and many ties on the scoreboard (2-2, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12) to ultimately win the set Barandika and Unda (14-15).

Erkiaga He has tried to calm down and reassure his defender at all times. In the end, the quality of Ispaster has won the tiebreaker, with a 5-0. Erkiaga and Ibarluzea add their first victory of the group (4 points), and Barandika, with the help of Unda, gets an important point for possible classification after winning a set against Erkiaga.

Source: Eitb

Kingston

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