Spain stunned by Mali after disastrous shooting night, going 4-for-22 from three

Spain went from dazzling to faltering in the space of a day. After overwhelming Germany in its World Cup opener, the Spanish team was beaten 82-73 by Mali in a game defined by tired legs, poor shooting and repeated defensive breakdowns.

Spain made only four of 22 three-point attempts, compared with 14 of 28 against Germany, and committed 17 turnovers. Mali repeatedly punished those mistakes in transition, using quick attacks to unsettle a Spanish side that had played late the previous day and was the first team back on court.

The defeat came as a surprise. Spain had beaten Mali 97-58 in a friendly in Zaragoza just seven days earlier, while Mali entered the game ranked 18th by FIBA. Mali opened with an 8-3 lead, forcing Spanish coach Méndez to call an early timeout.

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They punished us a lot in defensive transition and made a lot of three-pointers. We lost the game on defense. We lost it ourselves, while they played a great game. But playing late yesterday and being the first to play today, the schedule did not help us. Still, it should not be an excuse.

Spain’s second unit helped stabilize the game. Elena Buenavida, Helena Pueyo, Mariona Ortiz and Megan Gustafson came on, and an 8-0 run brought Spain level at 17-17. Gustafson scored six points in that stretch and finished the second quarter with nine points and three rebounds.

But Spain could not hold its brief advantage. Alicia Flórez said Mali had punished Spain’s defensive transition and made many three-pointers. She also noted the short turnaround, but added that it should not serve as an excuse. Spain now plays Japan on Monday at 17:50 for a place in the quarterfinals.

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If we have to win by getting down in the mud, we will.