Portugal enters the new phase of the European Championship with full strength with victory over Norway

This Wednesday in Hamburg, Portugal beat Norway 37:32 to claim the first two points in Group II of the main round of the Euro 2024 handball championship in a match in which they were more effective than the Scandinavians.

Thanks to a superb finish from Pedro Portela, who scored eight goals and had a 100% completion rate, earning him the Man of the Match (MVP) award, a Portuguese side, strong in defence, attack and hard work, defeated perennial candidate Norway.

The first game of Group II “main round” at the Hamburg Arena, which pitted the two teams seeking first points against each other, started evenly before Norway took a two-goal lead 4-2. , with a partial score of 3-0.

Portugal, committing technical fouls and conceding seemingly easy goals, combined forces to prevent the Norwegian team from advancing further on the scoreboard, with goalkeeper Diogo Rema making a prominent appearance in goal during this period.

Norway, making quick transitions and using the speed of their players to keep Portugal from thinking about the game, built up a three-goal lead for the first time in the match, 9-6, which they maintained until 11-8.

With the score at 13-11, selector Paulo Jorge Pereira called for the first technical time-out and when the match restarted the result was a partial 6-0 score and a seven-minute dry spell for Norway.

Showing offensive and defensive efficiency that they had not previously shown in the game, Portugal drew 13-13 through Salvador Salvador, took the lead through Pedro Portela (14-13) and extended their lead to four goals at 17-13.

After seven minutes without a goal, the Norwegian team finally managed to return to Diogo Rema’s goal, beating Sander Overder twice (17-15), before Luis Frade sealed the half-time lead with three goals (18-15). .

A disastrous start to the second half with several missed chances by the Portuguese team allowed Norway to reduce the gap to one goal with the score 19-18.

Having missed an opportunity to extend their lead to five goals after Martim Costa made it 19-15, Portugal suffered a partial 3-0 defeat with a number of errors accumulating to leave the Norwegian team at the bare minimum (19-18).

Diogo Rema made two saves, while Pedro Portela and Francisco Costa scored goals. The Portuguese team regained a three-goal lead at 21–18, which Norway again reduced to a narrow margin of 21–20 thanks to goals from Alexander Blonc and Christian. Bjornsen.

Pedro Oliveira (2), Martins Costa, Gilberto Duarte and Salvador Salvador again extended the lead to three goals at 26–23, and the Norwegian team, with a somewhat subdued center Sander Sagosen, cut it back to one (26–25). ).

With Gustavo Capdeville in goal and some good interventions, Portugal kept the Norwegian team within two goals to 34-32, with Pedro Portela also shining at 34-31 thanks to aerial play from Rui Silva’s pass.

With less than four minutes to play and in the period with two saves from Gustavo Capdeville, the Portuguese team increased their lead to five goals with goals from Rui Silva, Leonel Fernandes and Gilberto Duarte, with which they reached the final result (37-32).

Portugal will continue their Group II “main round” appearance on Friday against Slovenia, the unbeaten Group D winners, in a fundamental points match ahead of the Euro 2024 knockout stages.