06.10.2021, 09:00
Strong second half brings Hungary big win

ROUND 1 REVIEW: Portugal stand strong for 35 minutes, but then lose clearly in Golovin’s debut for the hosts

It was a matter of experience, power, higher individual class, but mainly; a strong second half was the key for the clear 34:24 Hungarian victory in their EHF EURO 2022 opener against Portugal - on the debut of new national team coach Vladimir Golovin. 

GROUP 5

Hungary vs. Portugal 34:24 (17:15) 

• In their second official match against Portugal, Hungary took a second clear victory. 
• The hosts started with a 6:2 run, then Portugal reduced the arrears at the break and even levelled the result at 17:17. 
• Hungary then decided the match through a 10:1 run for 27:18.  
• In this crucial period, Hungarian goalkeeper Blanka Biro shut up shop and finished with an extraordinary 18 saves, compared to seven from three Portuguese goalkeepers. 
• Best scorers in what became a one-sided match were Katrin Klujber with nine goals from eleven attempts for Hungary and five strikes for Joana Resende for Portugal.

Golden memories arise for players and coaches 

It was as if they had just flown back three years in time and had been at the U20 Women's Handball World Championships in Debrecen in the summer of 2018, when Petra Tovizi, Greta Marton, Rita Lakatos, Katrin Klujber, Greta Kacsor and Noemi Hafra were all also in the Hungarian national team coached by Vladimir Golovin and his assistant, Krisztina Pigniczki. They won World Cup gold three years ago and on Wednesday night they all seemed to re-start the 2018 action together against Portugal. 

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen