Porto take first point after a thriller

GROUP A: 

FC Porto (POR) vs SC Magdeburg (GER) 31:31 (12:16) 

• Nikola Portner was the key for Magdeburg’s halftime lead, as the Swiss goalkeeper saved eight shots in the first 30 minutes, including two penalties 
• on the other end of the court, Icelander Omar Ingi Mganusson was unstoppable, scoring all of his seven goals before the break
• everything changed in the second half: Porto improved in defence and Magdeburg had enormous problems in scoring - the hosts turned a 12:16 deficit into a 20:17 advantage within only ten minutes, including a 6:0 run  
• boosted by the saves of goalkeeper Sebastian Frandsen and the powerful performance of line player Victor Iturriza on both ends of the court, Porto managed to stay ahead (29:28) until minute 54 
• finally, the treble strike of Gisli Kristjansson (two goals) and Magnus Saugstrup for the 31:29 seemed to turn the match around, but Porto levelled the result again 
• after both sides took time-outs in the last minute, first Pedro Veitia Valdes missed Porto’s last chance, then Tim Hornke scored the winning strike for Magdeburg - but the referees disallowed the goal, as it was scored after the final buzzer 

Porto partially end their drought

Seven rounds, seven defeats - this was the poor balance of FC Porto in the current Champions League season. Taking into account the last matches of the 2021/22 season, the Portuguese champions now are waiting almost a year for a victory.  Their last CL win was a 29:27 against later-on finalists Kielce on 9 December 2021.  Since then they have had nine defeats and now four draws including this one against Magdeburg.