Portugal were close to hand Spain one of the most embarrassing defeats in recent memory, only for Las Guerreras to make a comeback in the dying minutes of the game and seal a 23:22 win.

GROUP 5

Portugal vs Spain 22:23 (11:14)

• the Spanish side had a 6:2 run to cancel Portugal’s good start, with three goals from left wing Jennifer Gutierrez Bermejo
• but Portugal bounced back and even took the lead with two minutes to go, 22:21, after a superb 7:1 run
• Spain’s top scorer, Portuguese-born Alexandrina Cabral Barbosa, scored six goals against her former national team, which she represented until 2010
• Spain registered their seventh consecutive win in the EHF EURO Qualification Phase 2, with their last loss coming against Germany in March 2018
• the Spanish side is now second in the group, tied with Hungary with maximum points, but with a goal difference of +6

Emotional game helps Barbosa elevate her game

Alexandrina Cabral Barbosa, one of the top five scorers in the history of the Spanish women’s handball team, with over 500 goals, was crucial against Portugal tonight, scoring six times.

Born in Lisbon, Cabral Barbosa has started to represent Spain since 2012, when she took Spanish citizenship, after having previously played for Portugal. It definitely was a very emotionally charged game for Barbosa, but she duly delivered with a superb performance, especially when it mattered the most.