Veszprém HC tops Group A with six straight EHF Champions League wins
Hungarian handball club One Veszprém HC secured a 34-29 victory against FC Porto during the 2026/27 EHF Men’s Handball Champions League Group A sixth round on October 28 at Pavilhao Dragao Arena in Porto, Portugal, finishing the group stage with six consecutive wins and carrying four points into the main round.
Veszprém Secures Group A Leadership and Four Carrying Points
Veszprém finished the preliminary phase with a perfect 6-0 record to claim first place in Group A. FC Porto finished the group in third place with one win, one draw, and four losses, totaling three points. That placement eliminates Porto from Champions League contention and drops them down to the EHF European League, as reported by MK Sports.
The match began with a tight contest before Veszprém established control. By the 20th minute of the first half, the visitors strung together three consecutive goals to pull ahead 12-9, extending that margin to 16-12 by the 26th minute. Goalkeeper Mikael Appelgren delivered key saves to anchor the early lead.
Porto Battles Back Before Late Defensive Stops Decide the Match
Porto responded immediately after the break, scoring three straight goals to level the score at 18-18. Both sides traded scores up to the 50-minute mark in a physical exchange. The game turned in the final ten minutes when Veszprém turned to substitute goalkeeper Emil Nielsen. Nielsen stopped 10 of the shots he faced during the final 30 minutes, recording a 41.7% save rate.
Ahmed Hesham and Nedim Remili each scored five goals for Veszprém. Antonio Martinez led Porto with six goals. The victory held firm despite Veszprém losing Yehia Elderaa to a red card.
Coach and Player Reactions Following the Group Finale
Porto head coach Carlos Martingo pointed to the late defensive lapse in an interview with the European Handball Federation. “We showed once again that we are playing good handball and doing so against one of the best teams in the world right now,” Martingo told the EHF. “We played a great 50 minutes, but in the last 10 minutes, our performance dropped and technical mistakes happened. Playing against one of the best goalkeepers in the world made it harder for us.”
Veszprém player Thiagus Petrus emphasized the competitive nature of the fixture despite the final standings already being determined. “This game had no points or qualification on the line, but it was still a very intense, competitive match where both teams used their best players and gave everything,” Petrus said. “The game was balanced until the last five or six minutes, and that’s when we managed to make the difference. This year, with the new Champions League format, going into the next round with four points is very important.”
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