Portugal gets it revenge

Portugal and Czech Republic meet again to decide seventh and eigth place in the 2011 World Championships korfball in China and this time Portugal is victorious in another low score game, 12-16.

Somehow games with Portugal in this event know few goals, also this one. After a slow start with both teams getting the upper hand, the scoring tempo goes up for a while, from 2-2 to 3-5 for Portugal, causing the Czechs to take a time-out. Portugal makes 3-6 and knows to hold on to this three goal margin until 4-7, then the Czechs push forward and turn the odds in their favour at half time, 8-7.

After the tea the short lived lead is neutralized by Portuguese young star Pinhao to 8-8 and it is her that puts Portugal in a two goal lead from 9-9 to 9-11. That is the breakpoint in the game. After that a long period of no goals before Biocas scores 9-12 and sets the goal difference for the rest of this game until three minutes before the end, when the Czechs miss a penalty. This gives Costa the opportunity to finalize the game with the highest margin of four, 12-16.

This sees Portugal in seventh place after a strong beginning of the tournament followed by a weak performance in the following phase, where they finish last in the pool. Intriguingly both squads end with the same number of goals scored, putting them under Germany (144), Poland (142), China (146), Australia (154) and India (143).

It's Costa and nineteen year old Sofia Pinhao that are the top scorers for Portugal in this game with both four goals, whereas for Czech Republic Krejci and Jindrova score three goals each.