On Saturday, Benfica beat Kriens Luzern (31-24) of Switzerland, while Aguas Santas tied with La Rioja (26-26) of Spain in the first leg of the first round of the European Handball League qualifiers.
The team led by Chima Rodriguez had a relatively easy task, in Switzerland, where they faced the third-placed team in the last edition of the Swiss championship, and at the end of the first half the team was already winning 17-13.
In the second thirty minutes, the Reds were more comfortable and hit a difference of seven and eight goals, with Ole Ramel and Peter Djordic – seven goals each, and he stood out in the Portuguese.
The meeting of Águas Santas was more balanced, who advanced in the first half until very close to the rest (12-14) and would give a better response in the second half, and almost won, while leading 26-25.
With nine accurate shots, Joao Gomes was the top scorer of the Portuguese team, which, along with Benfica, is trying to reach the second round, where another Portuguese team, Sporting, is already present.
The draw for the second qualifying round of the European League, which will include 16 winners of the first stage matches and eight clubs who have already qualified, will take place on September 7.
Agatha Christie is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, books, and current affairs. She is committed to producing accurate, informative content that helps readers stay informed about the latest developments in the UK and beyond.
