Sporting CP Stuns Kolstad, Eyes Champions League Playoffs

The Portuguese champions flew back from Norway with more than two points in their luggage. They returned with the conviction that Sporting CP’s handball project can genuinely compete with Europe’s elite, after clawing back a four-goal deficit in Trondheim to beat Kolstad 34-30. The victory, coming on the heels of last week’s thriller against Veszprém, nudges the Lisbon side into the play-off spots and keeps alive dreams that once sounded far-fetched in the João Rocha Pavilion.

A night that flipped after the interval

Midway through the match it felt as if the Scandinavian autumn chill had seeped into the Sporting attack. Kolstad went to the dressing-rooms leading 19-15, buoyed by Simen Lyse’s 12-goal one-man show and the reflexes of goalkeeper Nicolai Neupart. Yet the second half told a different story: Sporting tightened the gaps on defence, raced down the court in transition and outscored the hosts 19-11. The turnaround was driven by a torrent of quick releases, a higher defensive block and the growing authority of Natan Suárez at centre-back.

Francisco ‘Kiko’ Costa makes another statement

For the second European match in a row, the 18-year-old Kiko Costa proved impossible to contain. He finished with 9 goals, many from seemingly impossible angles near the right wing, confirming why scouts across the continent whisper his name. Not since Rui Silva’s breakout season a decade ago has a Portuguese back-court talent generated such buzz in the EHF Champions League. Around Costa, veterans like Pedro Portela, Tiago Rocha and goalkeeper Manuel Gaspar provided the composure that youngsters often lack on the road.

What eight points mean in Group A

European handball’s new format leaves little room for error, and Sporting’s win lifts them to 8 points, one behind Aalborg and four shy of runaway leaders Füchse Berlin. Crucially, the Lions now hold a cushion over Nantes and Veszprém, who also sit on 6 points, and over Kielce on 4. The top two advance directly to the quarter-finals, while ranks 3-6 face a home-and-away play-off. In practical terms, one more away success could allow Sporting to lock up a play-off berth well before Christmas — uncharted territory for a Portuguese side that entered the tournament as an outsider.

Ricardo Costa: learning to win in hostile halls

Coach Ricardo Costa, still flushed from the final whistle, praised the team’s ‘second-half personality’ and reminded reporters that “victories away from Lisbon make a young squad grow”. The former Portuguese international believes the squad is maturing faster because of these high-stress environments. With his contract extended until 2030, Costa openly talks about chasing the Final Four in Cologne — a goal previously reserved for German and French giants. He argues that the Portuguese league’s emphasis on speed and technical flair now matches up well against the physicality of northern teams.

A broader Portuguese renaissance?

Sporting’s surge arrives at a time when Portuguese handball looks healthier than ever. FC Porto reached the quarter-finals two seasons ago and Benfica lifted the EHF European League in 2022, signalling a shift in the peninsula’s sporting balance. Investment in youth academies, better TV deals and a domestic calendar aligned with the EHF have allowed clubs to retain talent that once emigrated early. If Sporting’s current momentum carries over into the winter double-headers, Portugal could place a team in the Champions League quarter-finals for the third time in five campaigns.

Next stop: a noisy João Rocha

The road ahead remains steep: home dates versus HBC Nantes and Füchse Berlin sandwich a tricky trip to Kielce. Yet the atmosphere in Alvalade promises to be electric. Season-ticket demand jumped 18 % after last week’s upset of Veszprém, and club officials are already setting up extra hospitality zones for foreign visitors. Should Sporting collect at least three points from that trio of fixtures, Lisbon may need to clear its spring calendar for more continental handball nights — the kind that felt like day-dreams only a few seasons back.