Canada got the first ticket to the semi-finals of a world of its history this Wednesday, after ending the Slovenia of Luka Doncic at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila in a very close match (100-89) which decided a crushing third quarter for the North American team led by the Spaniard Jordi Fernández.

They are already defined the semi-finals. United States and Germany, on the one hand; and Canada and Serbia, on the other. The Canadians demonstrated their superiority in a third quarter during which they were much superior (30-21) with their star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, unleashed throughout the match, doing and undoing as he pleases. Canada’s favoritism continues to increase game after game.

The match, beyond giving a ticket to the semi-finals, had a very special appeal. The duel between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander himself and Luka Doncic It was one of the most anticipated of the World Cup, two leaders of their teams who had to give the best version of themselves to cancel out that of the other. And they did not disappoint. Shai finished with 31 points, Luka with 26.

As it could not be otherwise, the match was very balanced. There was no advantage larger than four points in the first two quarters. Gilgeous-Alexander dio un recital de cómo ser efectivo en el uno contra uno desde la media distancia al time que Doncic tiraba del carro minetras protestaba al equipo arbitral por sus decisiones, algo que a la postre le costó la descalificación a falta de seis minutes para the end. A loss which put an end to any hope of a miraculous resurrection for the Slovenes.

It was an intense match, very tactical and in which the second swords of each team also shone. In Canadawith a much larger wardrobe, Dillon Brooks And RJ Barrett It was a headache for the Slovenian defense; and Klemen Prepelic was Doncic’s perfect companion to do damage.

comings and goings

The best moment of the game came early in the third quarter. Canada by Jordi Fernández. He managed to stop Doncic and being powerful in attack to, with a partial score of 2-11, bring the score to 61-52 which shortly after became 69-55, an advantage which at first seemed insurmountable (+14).

Not for Doncic, who didn’t give up. It seemed that the former Real Madrid player could be the turning point with a triple that stopped the bleeding and the Canadian partial positive, but RJ Barret’s response with another triple extinguished the Slovenian hopes again.

He scored three Slovenia again, but Gilgeous-Alexander responded again from the three-point line. Everything went well for Canada who, yes, left with a 9-point lead. Anything could happen in the fourth quarter.

However, the game followed the fourth quarter storyline. Slovenia He tried to stop the Canadians, who found themselves without Brooks (disqualified), but it was impossible. There was too much potential for the North American team which, with six minutes remaining, led by 15 points (92-77).

It was the continuity of Canada, a killing machine that doesn’t give up when it has the chance, who overthrew a Slovenia that didn’t know how to get out of its impasse. Spain and Latvia suffered it. Doncic was not enough to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company, whose favoritism continues to grow until, at the very least, to be in the final. Before of course, during their first semi-final, there is the Serbia by Nikola Jovic. (EFE)