Portugal Stun Norway 31-28 in Handball World Cup Thriller

Portugal pulled off a stunning 31-28 win over Norway in the Handball World Cup, while Egypt and Hungary also secured surprise victories over Croatia and the Netherlands, respectively.

A thrilling handball match in Oslo saw Portugal pull off a stunning 31-28 victory over Norway, despite the hosts having a record attendance of 11,345 spectators cheering them on at the Unity Arena. This result marked a significant upset, as Norway were considered favorites going into the match.

Norway's team, led by star player Sander Sagosen, had high ambitions for the competition but have struggled to meet expectations. After losing their opening match 26-29 to Brazil, Sagosen commented, “We used our quota of mistakes for this competition.” Unfortunately for the Norwegians, their mistakes continued, and they now face an uphill battle in the main round with zero points.

The match was attended by Norway's Royal Family, including H.R.H. The Crown Prince Haakon and The Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who witnessed a shaky start from the home team. Despite having big star Sander Sagosen, Norway struggled to play from behind, and Portugal took a narrow 14-13 lead into the interval.

In the second half, Norway came out with renewed determination and focus, and Sagosen began to find his form. The home side established a 19-16 lead, but Portugal refused to give up, eventually taking the match 31-28. This result leaves Norway with a daunting task ahead, as they will have to fight to secure a semifinal spot.

Portugal staged a remarkable comeback in the latter stages of the match, reclaiming the lead 22-21 with only 12 minutes remaining. As the pressure intensified, the match descended into chaos, with both teams squandering scoring opportunities. However, Portuguese goalkeeper Gustavo Capdeville proved instrumental in securing the win, making 15 saves and achieving a 41% saving efficiency to help Portugal emerge victorious, 31-28.

The evening was filled with surprises, as Egypt pulled off a stunning 28-24 win over Croatia. Meanwhile, Hungary edged the Netherlands 36-32 in another thrilling encounter. The results had significant implications for the standings, with Portugal advancing to the main round with four points, while Norway was left with zero. Hungary secured three points, and the Netherlands took one. Egypt's impressive win earned them four points, while Croatia claimed two.

In other matches, Germany dominated the Czech Republic 29-22, while Switzerland prevailed in a nail-biting 30-28 victory over Poland to secure a spot in the main round.