Portugal and Norway played out an entertaining 35:35 draw in a thrilling “run-and-gun” main-round clash at the European Championship.
Portugal took the lead right from the start (1:0), but Norway quickly seized control of the game. The first half was played at a blistering pace, with both teams trading goals almost every attack. The Scandinavians mostly held a two- to three-goal advantage and went into the break narrowly in front — 17:18.
A similar rhythm continued after the restart. The teams stayed neck and neck with no clear sign of a winner, although it looked as if the side from the Iberian Peninsula might finally claim their first victory of the second stage when they went up by three (31:28) in the 50th minute. However, Norway refused to go away, responding with a 3:0 run to level the score. Neither team managed to create a decisive gap in the closing minutes, and the match ended in what felt like the fairest result based on everything shown on the court.
Portugal’s standout scorer was Luís Frade with 11 goals. For Norway, August Pedersen led the way with 10, while Patrik Andersson added nine.
After this draw, both teams sit on three points in the newly formed Group I, meaning the battle for fifth place remains wide open. In the next round, Portugal will face Spain in a neighborhood derby on Wednesday, January 28, while Norway take on Denmark in a Scandinavian classic the same day.
Portugal – Norway 35:35 (17:18)