Sporting returned to their triumphant nights at João Rocha with a clear victory (44-31) against Norwegians Kolstad, a triumph that was worth two precious points in the Group A accounts, which places the lions with the same number of points as Veszprem, in third place, precisely the next rival they will visit in Hungary, next week.
After two defeats in a row against the unbeatable Fuchse Berlin, who beat the Magyars in this round, Sporting needed to win and Martim Costa and Orri Torkelsson opened hostilities on a night that was expected to be a victory for the Lions, favorites for the last placed in group A. Mohamed Aly was between the sticks and it was even in a period of numerical superiority, that Sporting allowed the Norwegians to equalize (3-3). But for a short time. At 11 minutes (9-5), Kolstad’s coach called a time out, but it didn’t have much effect. Sporting continued to defend well and attack as well and, with 10 minutes to go before the break, they were winning 22-12.
The Norwegians reacted, and despite the Portuguese’s undisputed dominance, they managed to score three goals and reduce the deficit with which they went into the break (22-15).
But the rest was good for Kolstad, who came out determined to counter the lions’ favoritism and by focusing on the attack in which they did without the goalkeeper, they managed to get closer and at 35 minutes, Pavilhão João Rocha’s scorer showed just five goals between the teams (25-20).
The lions read the signs well, reorganized themselves and left, finding solutions to the problem, with the speed of the wingers providing invaluable help.
Gurri concluded the impressive result and put the difference at 13 goals (44-31), in an excellent general rehearsal for the complicated trip that Sporting will have to face next week at Veszprém.
The two-time national champions recorded their fifth triumph in Champions and they equaled Hungarians Veszprem, the Lions’ next opponent, in third place with 10 points, while Kolstad remains in eighth and last place, with two.
The top two teams in each group will qualify directly for the quarter-finals, while the teams in third and sixth place will compete in a play-off access to that phase to be eliminated.
