Los Tilos secured a narrow victory over Atlético del Rosario in the Top-12 tournament on Friday evening, winning 39-37. It was a match that went down to the wire, with the final two points separating the sides. And here's the thing — you could sense the tension building as the clock wound down.
Both teams came into this fixture with mixed recent form. Atlético del Rosario had dropped points in three of their last five outings, including a heavy 50-17 defeat to Regatas Bella Vista. Los Tilos, meanwhile, showed more consistency, winning four of their previous five matches but also suffering a setback against the same Regatas side.
By then, you'd expect a closer result given the trajectory of both sides. Los Tilos had looked sharp in their 40-32 win over Hinzu earlier in July, while Atlético del Rosario's 38-28 loss to Los Materos suggested defensive vulnerabilities. The result on Friday confirmed those impressions in a different way.
The margin of victory tells you everything about this encounter. Two points — that's as close as it gets in handball when both teams are firing on all cylinders. Los Tilos held their nerve when it mattered, while Atlético del Rosario could not find that extra gear to complete the comeback.
For Los Tilos, this extends their momentum going into the next round. They had shown they could handle pressure before, and they did so again here. Atlético del Rosario will need to regroup quickly — they have nothing to lose in their upcoming fixtures, which might be the healthiest way to look at it.