The Romanian national team was defeated by the Portuguese team, with a score of 37-30 (12-16), on Thursday evening, in Santo Tirso, in the 8th Group of the second phase of the preliminaries of the European Men’s Handball Championship – EHF EURO 2026.
Romania – Portugal: 30-37. PHOTO Facebook FRH – Romanian Handball Federation
The Romanian team, coached by George Buricea, played an exceptional first half and led at halftime with 16-12, but turned around in the last quarter of an hour, the score taking proportions in the last minutes, according to Agerpres.
The tricolors’ goals were scored by Tudor Botea 9, Andrei Buzle 5, Gabriel Cristian Ilie 5, Ionuţ Adrian Stănescu 3, Alexandru George Andrei 2, Robert Nagy 2, Călin Dedu 2, Daniel Stanciuc 1, Ionuţ Nistor Ioniţă 1.
Goalkeeper Ionuţ Iancu had 11 interventions (34%), and Dan Vasile 2 (16%).
From the Portugal team, Luis Diogo Sousa Frade scored 11 goals, Francisco Mota Costa 6, Martim Mota Costa 5, Pedro Andre Caseiro Portela 4, Salvador Martinho Rocha Nogueira Salvador 3, Leonel Gomes Silva Fernandes 2, Antonio Antunes Baeta Rodrigues Areia 2, Victor Manuel Iturriza Alvarez 1, Miguel Martins 1, Diogo Ferraz Branquinho 1, Alexandre Oliveira Cavalcanti 1.
Diogo Leitao Rema Marques finished with 5 interventions (20%), and Heliodoro Pires Andrade with 2 (16%).
The match was refereed by the French Karim and Raouf Gasmi, and the EHF delegate was the Spanish Cristina Fernandez.
In the other group game, Poland drew at home with Israel, 32-32 (12-16).
Next match, Sunday
The tricolors will play the next match on November 10, in Buzău, against Poland.
The first two ranked teams and the best four teams in third place qualify for the final tournament.
