Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote’s Iberdrola League Debut
The debut of Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote in the Guerreras Iberdrola League began with an emotional minute of silence in memory of Juan Ramón de León Tejera, the club’s former president who recently passed away. Following this tribute, the ball was rolled out, and the clash between the Batatero team and Mecalia Atlético Guardés showcased intensity and suspense from the outset.
First Half Highlights
Guardés struck first with a swift counterattack, but an immediate response from Brenda set the tone for a Zonzamas side that refused to back down. The local defence, as noted in the press release, held firm, and Valentina Menucci’s interventions in goal sustained the Lanzarote team, who even took the lead at 7:13 with a goal from Gleinys Reyes (4-3).
The exchange of goals maintained balance, with Sancha converting a penalty, despite the local side facing challenges due to the exclusions of Nahomi Márquez. Nevertheless, Juanmi Pérez’s team built their highest lead of the match at 9-7 following a goal from Lorena Zarco in the 21st minute, prompting Galician coach Ana Seabra to call a timeout with the score at 10-8 in the 24th minute. Zonzamas managed to keep their momentum and entered halftime with an encouraging advantage of 12-10.
Second Half Shifts
Upon resumption, the Lanzarote side surprised with a 5:1 defence led by Paula García, disrupting Galician movement. The Guardés struggled in attack, finding the net primarily from the penalty line, while Marie Louis and Reyes provided vital support for the home side (20-17, 45th minute). However, the visiting team quickly responded, opting to attack with seven players. With Ania Ramos’s speed and Cristina Cifuentes’ reliable penalty shooting, they turned the game around, leading 21-22 in the 50th minute.
The Zonzamas team felt the strain and their lack of accuracy during critical moments culminated in hitting the woodwork and facing a confident Mínguez in goal. The more experienced Guardés managed to control the pace and extended their lead to a final score of 23-28, which did not reflect the tight competition of the match for the first three-quarters.
Match Conclusion
Mecalia Atlético Guardés begins their title defence with a victory, while Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote showcased a highly competitive performance, showing they can challenge the reigning champions for significant stretches of the game.
Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote (23)
Valentina Menucci, Marie Louis (7 goals), Brenda Roger Soler (4), Ingrid Roger Soler (1, excluded at 34:15), Gleinys Reyes González (4), Yasmin Frederica Fernández Furtado, María Paula Fernández Estigarribia (2), Agustina López Santamarina, Luna Vončina, Alicia Robles Sánchez, Irene Botella Poveda (1), Paula García Locay (2), Nahomi Márquez Jabique (excluded at 13:36 and 23:02), Claudia Kaulback Amoedo, Daniela Jerónimo García, and Lorena Zarco Úbeda (2). Coach: Juan Miguel Pérez Fernández.
Mecalia Atlético Guardés (28)
Sabina Mínguez García, Jazmín Lucero Mendoza Peralta (5), Blazka Hauptman, Lorena Aide Téllez Delgado (3), Cecilia Cacheda González (5), María Palomo Pineda (excluded at 50:37), Rosane Serrano Ortega (1), Elena Martínez Ruiz (1), Cristina Cifuentes Bermejo (7), Carme Castro Viaño, Nerea Gil Muñoz, Ariana Clara Montserrat Portillo Mieres (1), María Sancha González (1, excluded at 41:22), Ania Ramos Reyes (4), Anouk Nieuwenweg, and Marie-Hélène Amandine Audrey Balzinc. Coach: Ana Cristina Teixeira Seabra.
Referees
Oriol Grebol Banús and Miquel Vigo Azuaga.
Score Progression
3-2, 5-5, 7-6, 8-7, 10-8, 12-10 (half-time);
15-13, 17-16, 19-17, 21-22, 21-24, 23-28 (final).
Notes
This match corresponds to Round 1 of the Guerreras Iberdrola League, held at the Lanzarote Sports City in front of around 300 fans. The encounter commenced with a minute of silence in memory of Juan Ramón de León Tejera, former president of Zonzamas.
