Portugal’s U-19 handball team found their winning rhythm again this Tuesday. They beat Kosovo with a strong 41-29 score in the President’s Cup. This victory secured them first place in Group I. It also gives them a chance to finish the World Championship in 17th place overall.
This young Portuguese squad had a tough start. They failed to reach the main round, which is for the top 16 teams. But they didn’t let that stop them. They showed real fight in the President’s Cup. On Monday, they defeated Morocco 30-25. Their latest win against Kosovo continued this positive streak.
The team, led by coach Nuno Santos, played their recent match in Giza, Egypt. Egypt is hosting this year’s championship. Portugal took a big lead early against Kosovo. They were up 22-11 at halftime. They kept that large advantage until the final whistle. João Bandeira Lourenço was a standout player in this game. He scored an impressive 10 goals and added two assists.
Portugal’s journey to the President’s Cup came after a challenging preliminary phase. In Group A, they managed only one win and suffered two losses. Their 38-23 success against Kuwait wasn’t enough to advance. They had close defeats to Austria, losing 37-36, and to Sweden, with a score of 38-34. Now, the team looks ahead to their next challenge. On Thursday, they will face either Faroe Islands or Argentina in the final playoffs. Those two teams still need to play each other to decide who Portugal meets.