Portugal loses to Norway in preparation for the Handball World Cup — DNOTICIAS.PT
The Portuguese handball team lost today by 38-27 to Norway, in the debut of the Gjensidige Cup 2023 tournament, as part of the participation in the World Cup, which starts on Wednesday and takes place in Sweden and Poland.
Portugal, who at half-time trailed by 18-13, only balanced the match in the opening minutes, up to 6-5 on the scoreboard, when the host Norway ‘shot’ for a six-goal lead at 11-5, with a partial from 5-0.
The Portuguese team, which went more than six minutes without scoring, still won by 11-8 with a partial of three goals, by Leonel Fernandes, António Areia and André Gomes, but the Nordic team opened up again for an advantage of seven, 17-10.
Alexis Borges, Alexandre Cavalcanti and Leonel Fernandes won the reduction of the difference, to five goals, at 17-12, but insufficient to counteract the offensive and defensive defense of the Norwegian team, which ran out the break to win by 18-13.
In the second half, the world runners-up in 2019 and 2017, and sixth in 2021 – an edition in which Portugal finished 10th – ‘pulled from the gallons’ and gradually increased the advantage, which reached 10 goals, at 29 -19.
Pedro Portela, Francisco Costa and Martim Costa, in the last 15 minutes, still tried to counter the Norwegian ascendant, who ‘dug’ the biggest difference at 37-25, with a goal by Alexander Blonz, Miguel Martins’ teammate in Pick Szeged, from Hungary.
Norway, which is part of Group F of the World Cup, with the departures of North Macedonia, Argentina and the Netherlands, closed the game at 38-27 and will host the tournament against Brazil, on Saturday, who today beat the USA, by 27-22.
Pedro Portela, with five goals, followed by the trio formed by André Gomes, Martim Costa and António Areia, all with three, were the main goalscorers of the Portuguese selection.
Sebastian Hein Barthold, with 10 accurate shots out of 10, which corresponds to an efficiency of 100%, was the best scorer of the meeting, followed by Kristian Bjornsen, with six.
Portugal faces the USA on Saturday, who share Group G of the World Cup, with Egypt, Croatia and Morocco, with the task of winning the first points in the tournament. Brazil, opponent on Sunday, is present in Group C, with Sweden, Cape Verde and Uruguay.