Four goals separated Sporting CP and ORLEN Wisla Plock at the end of their first leg in the EHF European League Men Last 16 on Tuesday - and the advantage was with the visitors.

After a balanced first half (15:15), an inspired goalkeeper and a 6:2 run gave Plock a clear edge over the hosts in the João Rocha Pavilion.

LAST 16, LEG 1

Sporting CP (POR) vs ORLEN Wisla Plock (POL) 25:29 (15:15)

• this marked the ninth victory for Plock in the EHF European League season
• Plock’s goalkeeper Adam Morawski was important with 14 saves during the game
• Michal Daszek led for the Polish side, with seven goals
• Francisco Tavares scores five goals for Sporting CP
• Plock, who were the only non-German group winners in the group phase, seem on course for a quarter-final berth

Details determine the difference

While Sporting and Plock remained level in the first half, the Polish visitors came away with a four-goal win in the end. It was not that Plock outplayed the hosts after the break, but minor details made the difference on Tuesday, mainly because of Zoltan Szita and Michal Daszek, who combined scored 13 times to give wings to Plock’s quarter-final dream.