The national handball team lost this afternoon to Hungary (31-30), in a match for the second round of group B of the European Championship. Portugal still dreams of qualifying, but needs results, at least, mathematically.

At the Multifunctional Arena in Budapest, Paulo Jorge Pereira’s pupils were brave and competent, but ended up being betrayed by the magic assistant just seconds after the horn sounded. But there we go.

Portugal entered a field in a pavilion full of Hungarians – around 0,000 –, but they did not position themselves quickly and silenced the frenetic atmosphere that was lived, with a partial moment of 3-0 in the first ones.

The team managed to recover and was equipped with the same equipment as the home turnaround, even the same set as the home turnaround, with the help of almost consecutive exclusions.

Even so, the national team made a final stop of time and went to the interval in advantage: it was up to Rui Silva, a few seconds from the first end, to make the 15-14.

inverted roles

If Portugal had started better at the beginning of the match, the roles were reversed in the first moments of the second stage: to enter determined to turn around and quickly take the lead on the scoreboard.

Mas Seleção a Nacional also responded well and managed to equalize forces again. Balance was, in fact, what was seen until the end, with a goal on one side and a response soon after on the other.

A minute and a half from the end, there was a tie at 29, but the exclusion of Iturriza came to balance the situation in favor of Hungary. Even so, Paulo Jorge Pereira’s men outdid themselves with one less and Daymaro Salina managed to make it 30-30 with 12 seconds to go.

The last possession of the ball was for Hungary, and a Hungary in numerical advantage that ended up scoring right over the horn and getting the victory, in a game in which Portugal, once again, went through a great strength, even that was always very difficult.

The National Team is still not eliminated, but the accounts are very complicated: to pass, Portugal needs Iceland to beat the Netherlands this Sunday, the Netherlands themselves on Tuesday and wait for Hungary to lose with Iceland, there is the tiebreaker is the goal difference.

The match against the Netherlands is scheduled for Tuesday, from 19:30.