Sensation in Norway, first win for Porto

Norwegian champions Haslum Handballklubb pulled off the sensation of the day in their EHF Cup match on Sunday, defeating HSV Hamburg 34:32 in Group A.

In Group C, Futebol Clube do Porto won their first points of this season’s group phase courtesy of a 29:27 win against HC Vojvodina in Novi Sad.

GROUP A
Haslum Handballklubb (NOR) vs HSV Hamburg (GER) 34:32 (17:16)

Having won their first two group matches, Hamburg were clear favourites against a Norwegian team that had not earned a single point in the first two rounds of this stage of the competition.

But an optimistic home team managed an impressive performance against the favourites from the Bundesliga.

Haslum started the game better and were leading 2:0 then 3:1, but soon Hamburg took over as expected.

However, the visitors never managed to pull ahead by more than two goals. Towards the end of the first half, the home team came back and managed to win the first 30 minutes by one goal.

If the crowd were afraid Hamburg would take the lead after the break, they need not have worried. Haslum took an early five-goal lead, and even though the visitors managed to come back within range, Haslum held on to take the victory in the end.

“Unfortunately, we did not manage to increase our lead in the crucial phase of the game.

“Haslum never gave in, and they were more successful than we were,” Hamburg’s Romanian left back Alexandru Viorel Simicu said.

GROUP C
HC Vojvodina (SRB) vs Futebol Clube do Porto 27:29 (13:15)

Vojvodina are now the only team in the tournament without a point after their loss against the Portuguese champions in Novi Sad on Sunday evening.

The lively match started equally, but Porto soon established a two-goal lead, and from the middle of the first half, increased that lead to five (11:6).

Led on by an enthusiastic home crowd, Vojvodina managed to reduce the gap to two goals at half-time.

At the beginning of the second half, the hosts took the lead, but they never created a gap of more than two goals.

As the match neared the end, the visitors proved to be the better team on the day. When Porto held a 28:25 lead with just over a minute until the final buzzer, their win was guaranteed.