The 'Boccaccio Arena' hosted the first victory of the season for the men's first team of OAR Gràcia, who defeated Handbol Esplugues by 40-36.
The initial minutes of the game were not favorable for the home side. The new coach, Lluís Marrugat, opted for a very young starting lineup, which resulted in an initial 0-5 run for the visitors.
The situation forced Marrugat to make tactical changes. The return of players like Guillem Correro and Nil Montserrat, along with the scoring accuracy of Dani Peiró (who scored 10 goals), allowed the home team to quickly equalize the score (7-7) and go into halftime with a three-goal lead (20-17).
In the second half, OAR Gràcia maintained their intensity and extended their lead with a 6-1 run, effectively sealing the match before the final stretch, where Esplugues managed to reduce the score.
Next Saturday, the green-and-whites will travel to face the reserve team of Granollers at 8 PM, in what is expected to be a challenging match against a team considered a promotion contender in Group D of the Primera Nacional.
