4 1/2: Win takes Titin to the verge of the final

Sunday 15th November, Astelena, Eibar

TITIN III beat GONZALEZ 22-17

Astelena was full to the rafters on Sunday evening for a game of high intensity between Augusto Ibanez and Sebastian Gonzalez. It was an encounter which had far reaching ramifications for the makeup of the championship final; had Gonzalez won, his place would have been assured, but it is Titin who now finds himself in the box seat in the fight to reach the endgame. Gonzalez and Irujo are squarely in the battle while Retegi Bi is all but out.

The game hung on a knife edge for the first eighteen points, after which the protagonists were tied at nine apiece. Both had appeared nervous in the opening plays, the first three points being won through rather unecessary errors. However, both found their stride and the crowd, many of whom had made the trip from Rioja to support Titin, was treated to some scintillating shot making. As befits a match where the stakes are so high, the tussle had its fair share of controversy as the players twice collided, sparking protests of obstruction from each in turn. The drama increased when Titin was forced to leave the fronton following a blow to the head as he dived. Far from knocking his confidence, the incident seemed to spur him on to greater things as he immediately pulled a crosscourt winner right out of the top drawer. For the rest of the encounter, Titin managed to keep his nose fractionally in front of Gonzalez, who missed some key chances to take control.

Titin, as is his wont, played with seething controlled aggression and will surely trouble Juan Martinez de Irujo when they meet on Sunday in the same arena. Expect a white hot evening.

Scoring sequence: 0-1/ 1-1/ 1-2/ 2-2/ 3-2/ 3-3/ 3-7/ 8-7/ 8-8/ 8-9/ 9-9/ 13-9/ 13-11/ 14-11/ 15-11/ 15-12/ 17-12/ 17-14/ 18-14/ 18-17/ 19-17/ 22-17

Titin rampant

Image from: Diario Vasco

Mikel Ezkerro