After a very close game, Spain, having been in front during the whole match thanks to their top defence, defeated EHF EURO title holders France by three goals and made a great start to their EHF EURO 2012 campaign.

In the beautiful SPC Vojvodina Arena both teams started with full intensity, but also with great respect for each other.

French back court player Nikola Karabatic, who was born in Niš, one of the host cities of EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia, scored the first goal of this clash, but it was Spain who started more solidly and focused.

Using a six-zero defensive formation, Spain started quite differently from that of their previous national team games, where they had played a more open defensive system.

But the French side remained resolute and were not knocked out of their rhythm, with Karabatic scoring and his side coming as close as one goal.

France’s extraordinary goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer was making heroic saves, but Claude Onesta’s French side still acted nervously and lost several balls. With two quick goals from Juan Garcia, the Spaniards went into a four-goal lead, forcing coach Onesta to lay his green card on the table to request a time out.

The French trainer shuffled his cards again and his side took the fight to the Spanish team. Daniel Narcisse entered the field, and Spain switched to a more open five-one defensive formation.Jerome Fernandez used the holes in the Spanish wall, so with a 7m penalty after the half-time whistle by Michael Guigou, the 'tricolour' shortened the difference to two goals only.

A tight finish was expected with Onesta’s team being only two goals behind just three minutes before the end.

With Guigou’s penalty the difference melted to only one goal with just 100 seconds to be played but as France opened their defence to disturb the Spanish attacks, Cristian Ugalde scored for Spain and his side deservedly won this tight clash.

Best Player Award – France: Jerome Fernandez
Best Player Award – Spain: Javier Hombrados