FINAL, FIRST LEG
Conservas Orbe Zendal Bm Porrino (ESP) vs Valur (ISL) 29:29 (12:16)
- Conservas Orbe Zendal Bm Porrino led only twice in the entire match (1:0, 28:27)
- Valur led 18:13 in the early stages of the second half, which was the biggest lead in the match
- right wing Þórey Anna Ásgeirsdóttir was on fire for Valur, despite the fact she missed three shots in the first half, she scored six goals, in the second she added five more
- Micaela Casasola was the top scorer of Porrino with 10 goals, including the one to tie the final score
- the first leg of the final was Porrino’s first draw in the European campaign this season. Valur had two draws en route to the final
- Valur will host the return leg next week — also on Saturday (17 May) at 17:00 CEST
Shooting efficiency changed
In the first leg of the final, goalkeepers did not have a special impact. In the first half, Hafdís Renötudóttir (Valur) and the home goalkeepers, Fátima Ayelen Rosalez Cabrera and Ana Belén Palomino Delgado could not contribute adequately; they saved only eight shots altogether before the break.
The shooting efficiency was the major difference between the two finalists in the first half: Valur’s 73 per cent was more impressive comparing to Porrino’s 60 per cent. This factor changed in the second half, with the teams producing almost the same efficiency. In total it was 69-66 in favour of the Icelandic team, which was one of the key factors that helped Porrino take the draw.
Porrino finish their first international season undefeated on home court, but Valur have won their every home match this season in the competition, which could prove important in the return leg. Although Valur are more experienced in European competitions in comparison to their opponents, they too - like Porrino - never played part in the continental club final before this year.
