Portugal Squanders 5-Goal Lead in 29-29 Draw, Survival Hinges on Denmark

Portugal’s men handball team left the court in Herning with a bitter taste. A match that seemed safely in their pockets drifted into a frustrating 29-29 draw against North Macedonia, leaving qualification for the Main Round hanging on the final 60 minutes against the world-champions, Denmark.

Snapshot for the busy reader

• Score: 29-29 after Portugal squandered a 5-goal cushion.

• Group B standings: Denmark 4 pts, Portugal 3 pts, North Macedonia 1 pt, Romania 0 pt.

• What Portugal needs: Any result equal to or better than North Macedonia’s earlier outcome against Romania; goal-difference currently favours the Portuguese (+6 vs –12).

How a comfortable lead melted away

Mid-way through the second half the red-and-green were cruising, powered by 11 goals from the irrepressible Francisco Costa and slick fast-breaks. Yet a stubborn Macedonian 5-1 defence, noisy travelling fans and a burst of Portuguese turnovers flipped the narrative. With three minutes left, Filip Taleski darted through a static six-metre line to level the board, and neither side found another clean look at goal.

The mathematics of survival

Portugal’s task is deceptively simple: avoid finishing below North Macedonia. The Balkan side faces already-eliminated Romania hours earlier. A sizable Romanian upset would all but punch Portugal’s ticket before the first whistle against Denmark. Should Macedonia win, Paulo Jorge Pereira’s men may still progress with a narrow defeat, thanks to that +18 swing in comparative goal difference – but nobody in the camp is keen to rely on calculators.

Voices from the court

Pereira cut a frustrated figure: “We were up by five and lost our grip. Our passing speed stayed high when game management demanded patience.” He also criticised a refereeing incident in which an opponent’s yellow card triggered a video review that re-opened a prior call: “First time in my career that a sanction helped the sanctioned side.” Captain Rui Silva promised the squad will “clean the image” against Denmark, while Danish boss Nikolaj Jacobsen called Portugal “one of the best teams in the world” – moments before reminding reporters that “in handball, if you ease off for five minutes, you drop points.”

Déjà-vu for Portuguese fans

Older supporters remember Euro 2024, when a draw with the Netherlands forced Portugal into a must-win finale against Slovenia. That night ended in heart-break and a slide to the placement bracket. The federation has since doubled down on youth-development – five players in this roster are 22 or younger – but Pereira insists Portugal need stronger competitive status to “protect leads and influence key calls.”

What happens next – and why it matters in Portugal

Tuesday’s double-header sets the fate of Group B:

16:30 WET – North Macedonia vs Romania

19:30 WET – Denmark vs Portugal

A Portuguese advance guarantees at least three additional Main-Round fixtures, prime-time exposure on RTP 2 and potentially millions in sponsorship bonuses for the domestic Liga Placard. A premature exit, by contrast, would shorten the season for several Benfica and FC Porto stars and nudge scheduling headaches into both the national championship and the spring EHF club competitions.

Key takeaways for the Portuguese public

– Portugal still control their destiny, but only just.– Game management, not talent, has become the pressing concern.– Tuesday’s early result could relieve or deepen the pressure on Pereira’s group.– The matchup with the tetracampeã mundial Denmark offers a stage to prove that the 29-29 slip was a blip, not a trend.

The margin for error is razor-thin. The reward, however, remains the same: a seat at Europe’s top table for yet another thrilling handball week.