Here’s an edited and polished version of your handball semi-final report, with corrected spelling and minor adjustments for clarity and flow:

Semi-Finals
Faroe Islands vs Portugal 37:38 OT (12:15; 29:29; 34:34)

Portugal have made history by reaching the final of the IHF Men's Junior World Championship for the first time ever, where they will face the team with the largest number of finals, Denmark. In a grueling semi-final that lasted 80 minutes, Portugal outlasted the Faroe Islands in a dramatic finish, taking a 38:37 win. The Faroese, a wild card for Poland 2025, came agonizingly close to their ultimate dream but will now contest the bronze-medal match against Sweden.

Both teams pushed hard in the semi-final, adding extra intensity to the game and treating fans in Sosnowiec to a real spectacle. The match featured long attacks, sturdy defenses, and smart execution throughout.

Portugal set the tone early. Diogo Rêma Marques made some crucial saves that gave his side breathing room, while Portugal’s defense kept the Faroese attack at bay. The European side stretched their lead to 6:3 and appeared to have the upper hand.

But the Faroe Islands were not ready to give up. Heavily marked, Oli Mittun dropped into a deeper role and started pulling the strings. Their trademark 7-on-6 game added extra width, and with Aleksandar Lacok stepping up in goal, they halved the gap and brought the score to 10:11.

Portugal, however, had more to offer. With strong play from their line player and sharp finishing, they closed the half with a 3:0 mini-run to re-establish a cushion. Interestingly, despite using 11 different players in attack and holding the lead, their shooting efficiency stood at 63%—slightly below the Faroese, who were at 67% but found fewer clear openings.

All of the Faroese efforts finally paid off in the 40th minute when Sofus I Selvindi found the net and leveled the score (19:19). He was the hero again six minutes later, combining with Mittun as Portugal took a 22:21 lead—the first time since the opening stages. The Faroe Islands went even further: new saves by Lacok allowed them to take a two-goal lead and forced Portugal into a timeout as their attack faltered, lacking the power they usually show.

But Portugal, true to their comeback reputation, rose again and entered the last five minutes tied at 27:27. An offensive foul by the Faroe Islands opened the door, and Portugal took full advantage—Rafael Vasconcelos found the net to put them back in front. They tried to isolate Niklas Gaard in defense, hoping to shut down the Faroese attack, but it didn’t work. João Lourenço had a chance to seal the win under passive play, but his shot missed the mark. With only three seconds left on the clock, the Faroe Islands had no time for a miracle, and the match headed to extra time.

The margins remained tight in the first extra period. Portugal managed a two-goal lead, taking the most of having the first attack and a key save, but the Faroese came back and leveled within the last three seconds.

The second period of extra time once again tipped Portugal’s way—aggressive defense and exploiting the Faroese 7-on-6 opened up a 37:35 lead. But the drama wasn’t over. With 45 seconds left, Lacok made a huge save, and the Faroe Islands had a golden chance. João Magalhães received a red card, and the Faroese earned a penalty to level and force a shootout. Then, Diogo Rêma Marques stepped up once more. Ice-cold under pressure, he saved the penalty and exploded with emotion.

Player of the match: Oli Mittun (Faroe Islands)