The Benfica team’s European League handball dreams were crushed in the playoff round after a 31-34 loss to GOG in Denmark. This defeat came despite their initial 33-31 win at home.
Benfica led the scoreboard multiple times but couldn’t maintain their performance level, allowing the Danish team to take over in the final minutes.
The Portuguese team started strong, with Demis Grigoras and Egon Izquierdo scoring early goals to take a 1-3 lead.
They maintained this lead until the 12-minute mark, when GOG equalized and then overtook them with a goal from Tobias Grondahl.
Benfica fought back, taking the lead again at 24 minutes with a goal from Hanusz.
However, GOG’s goalkeeper, Jonahnnesson, made a crucial save, and the Danish team took the lead once more.
Benfica’s goalkeeper, Gustavo Capdeville, redeemed himself with a save, and despite Cavalcanti’s exclusion, the team managed to tie the game 14-14 at halftime.
The second half saw a mixed start for Benfica, with an early two-goal lead courtesy of Hanusz and Stiven Valência.
But Valência’s expulsion for a harsh foul led to GOG’s equalizer.
This setback actually fueled Benfica’s best phase, with Grigoras scoring to give them a three-goal lead.
Grigoras and Izquierdo continued to drive the team, but GOG refused to back down, eventually taking the lead and the win.
In the final minutes, every move counted, and GOG’s three-goal lead with just over a minute left proved insurmountable for Benfica.
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