The ball – Porto scores the first point in the UEFA Champions League (Handball)

With an exciting second half, which revolutionized the team’s style and tactics on the field and eliminated the defect in the first half (12-16), FC Porto secured its first point in the Champions League by drawing with Magdeburg on 31-31, in the Dragão Arena, in a match of Round 8 of Group A and at the start of Round 2, hopes of finishing in the top six to stay in the competition are rekindled.

Magnus Andersson’s team never led and managed a 1-1 draw, during the first half, Magnus Andersson’s men began to feel very difficult to stop the German champions, with whom they lost a week ago by 41-36.

In addition to having problems overcoming the opponent’s naturally volatile defense, which did not provide many shooting spaces at 6 meters, the visitors’ speed in attack, especially with regard to passing and tightening, quickly launched the opponent on the drive, reaching an advantage of 4 (5- 9) Assisted by Jack Thurin (1) he fails to score two free kicks 7m.

But if Thurin is not up to date, the same cannot be said of Omar Magnusson (7) who, even going into the locker room, took advantage of all the violations of the blue and whites and did not miss any of the six 7-meter free kicks he was called to take. Four of them were back-to-back until 11-15.

It looked like the club world champions would have everything under control in the second half, and the doubt would be how many would win this time around. Error!

Magdeburg returned confident of himself, unfocused and played at a fast pace and with Magnus Andersson changing the team and exploiting gaps in defensive compensation in the rotation, the ball began to reach the blue and white axes. With the opponent completely overwhelmed, at 8 metres, a thrilling segment of 8-1 (20-17) brought the scoreboard lead for the national champions and the clear idea that victory was possible.

Under the leadership of Rui Silva (4) and Pedro Valdes (4), Víctor Ituriza (7) and Daimero Salina (4) they discovered through assists and occupying spaces in 6 meters until then, FC Porto dominated. Antonio Arrea (3) left the wing position to also assist in the centercourt with only the opposing goalkeeper in front of him, allowing the Blue and Whites to win, 25-22.

Little by little, the Germans recovered from the surprise, raised their defense and made it tighter and more effective to take advantage of four losses from the Portuguese team, after consecutive draws since 27-27, three unanswered goals, two goals by Chris. Jansson (6), putting them ahead, 29-31, with 4 minutes left.

Then it was worth the brilliance of Nikola Mitrewski in goal and recovering the ball from Valdes with a distance of one meter on the clock, first Rui Silva and then Ituriza, achieving the equalizer and the first point for the Dragons in the competition.