Portugal Still Alive in Euro Handball After 32-30 Loss to Germany

Portugal’s men’s handball side has discovered just how unforgiving the Main Round can be: a narrow 32-30 setback against Germany has left Paulo Pereira’s squad suddenly playing catch-up in Group I.

Quick snapshot

• Result: Germany 32-30 Portugal

• Venue: Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning (Denmark)

• Half-time: 11-11

• Top Portuguese scorer: Kiko Costa (10 goals)

• Standings impact: Portugal slides to 2 points, behind Germany, France and Norway

• Next games: Norway (26 Jan) and Spain (28 Jan)

A night that kept changing hands

The contest never strayed beyond a 3-goal margin. Portugal, buoyed by early saves from Gustavo Capdeville, raced ahead 3-1 only to be reeled in by a disciplined German back line. By the break the scoreboard read a tense 11-11, signalling a second half decided on slivers of momentum rather than dominance.

When goalkeepers become headline acts

Capdeville’s reflex stops lit up the first quarter, but the closing narrative belonged to Andreas Wolff, whose 13 saves (31.7 % efficiency) arrived exactly when Germany were struggling to stem Portuguese breakthroughs. Each block in the final ten minutes felt like a stolen possession and, ultimately, a stolen victory.

The invisible gap at the six-metre line

Suspended pivot Victor Iturriza watched from the stands after his red card versus Denmark triggered a one-match ban. Without their most imposing line player, Portugal’s attack relied heavily on back-court creativity. Extra passes bought time, yet also allowed Germany’s centre-block to reset, explaining a crucial four-minute drought late in the first half.

Thin margin, big consequences

Group I awards just two semi-final slots. After the German setback and a subsequent high-scoring loss to France (46-38), Portugal now needs a perfect finish and outside help:

Win against Norway and Spain.

Hope France or Germany drop points elsewhere.

Maintain goal-difference superiority in any tie-break.For supporters at home, that maths means cheering as loudly for Scandinavian slip-ups as for Portuguese fast breaks.

Voices from the mixed zone

Coach Paulo Pereira admitted the defeat "hurts because we were in control more often than the result suggests," but insisted the blueprint remains: long possessions, patience, and fewer risky passes. Captain André Gomes echoed that view, stressing the team "must trust the process that beat Denmark and almost beat Germany; small corrections, not panic”.

Why this matters in Portugal

Handball has spent the last decade building grassroots traction from Braga to the Algarve. A semi-final berth at a senior Euro would turbo-charge funding for youth programmes and secure precious Federation sponsorships beyond football’s shadow. One slip does not end the dream, yet it places enormous weight on the next 120 minutes of court time.

Key numbers that tell the story

• Portugal’s shooting accuracy: 63 % (30/48)

• German turnovers forced by Portuguese defence: 7

• Fast-break goals: Portugal 4 | Germany 6

• Exclusions: Portugal 6 min | Germany 4 min

The arithmetic is stark but not fatal. Victory over Norway would relight Portugal’s path; defeat would switch the narrative from possibility to post-mortem. For now, every wrist shot, every block and every roar in Herning carries the weight of an entire sporting community back home.