Let’s go to Paris! Hungarian men’s handball team qualifies for the Olympics at the last minute
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In front of over 6,000 fans in Tatabánya, Hungary delivered a pitch perfect finish in their do-or-die match against Portugal, to clinch the last ticket for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with a dramatic 30:27 win.
21-year old right wing Bence Imre was the hummel Player of the Match, scoring nine goals and led a fantastic comeback for Hungary, which were down three goals after 42 minutes.
Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournament #3
Hungary vs Portugal 30:27 (16:16)
According to IHF, both teams had won one match and lost the other one and had the same goal difference, +5, after the first two rounds, but Portugal had the upper hand by the virtue of scoring more goals (66) than Hungary (58), therefore Paulo Pereira’s side could afford a draw and still progress.
Yet with such a high-pressure scenario, everything was possible, in spite of Hungary playing at home. Three years ago, in Montpellier, Portugal shocked everybody and took a 29:28 win against hosts France to seal a ticket for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. And now, history could be repeated.
Nevertheless, it was Hungary that started the match better, running at 100% shooting efficiency after 10 minutes, with every attack converted into a goal, as Portugal failed to make any stops in defense. Left-back Zoltán Szita, who scored four goals in the first half, was one of the chief responsible for that run, as Hungary looked to play the part of favorites and secured a 7:4 lead.
Immediately, Portugal’s coach Paulo Pereira called a team time-out and urged his team to play with more pace, devising a cunning plan, with usual top scorers Francisco and Martim Costa playing the role of enablers, as line player Luis Frade and left-wing Leonel Fernandes each scored three goals.
