Cadets beat Portugal in dramatic finish — Kostov decides with 5–6 seconds left
Kostov scored in the final seconds to give North Macedonia a 26:25 win over Portugal and a place in Sunday’s match for ninth place.
North Macedonia's cadet handball team pulled off a dramatic 26:25 win over Portugal, sealed by Kostov's goal with only 5–6 seconds remaining. The victory keeps the Macedonian side alive in the placement round: on Sunday they will play for ninth place against the winner of the Austria – Israel match.
Late tension, earned result
The young Macedonians led for most of the match and at two points enjoyed a six-goal advantage, but the final phase became tense when Portugal's goalkeeper Almeida produced a string of crucial saves and his team fought back to 25:25 and even had an attack to take the lead. The Macedonian defence resisted, however, and Kostov found the net in the closing seconds to decide the outcome.
At halftime North Macedonia led 13:9 and carried the same tempo into the second half. The last ten minutes were critical, but not fatal: the team held its composure and closed out the win.
Coach Goran Kuzmanoski's squad received strong attacking contributions from Damchevski (7 goals) and Kostov (5), while Portugal's top scorer was Markesh with 9 goals. Goalkeepers were prominent: Portugal's Almeida finished with 15 saves, and North Macedonia's Nikolovski recorded 13 saves.
Published: 07.08.2026 13:45.
Photo: press material from the event
