Paris 2024 | Egypt register fantastic win against Hungary

African champions Egypt secured a fantastic win, 35:32, against Hungary, in the opener of the preliminary round Group B at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES – PRELIMINARY ROUND
GROUP B
Hungary vs Egypt 32:35 (15:19)

Two Spanish coaches – Juan Carlos Pastor for Egypt and Chema Rodriguez for Hungary – with two efficient teams, but somehow different gameplans, surely influenced by Spanish handball, met in the second match of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a crucial one between the African champions and Hungary, a team which always fights until the end.

But it was Egypt which started the match better, in a hectic first half, which saw the two teams combine for 34 goals, with a fantastic pace, great rhythm, and a lot of goals scored, much to the excitement of the over 5.700 fans present in the South Paris Arena 6.

For Hungary there were jitters and nerves, because their start was underpar, leaving Egypt on the cusp of a 7:3 lead, thanks to a pair of goals from Mohamed Sanad. But Hungary bounced back and cut the lead to a single goal, 7:6, with a 3:0 unanswered run, that seemed to bring Rodriguez’s side back into the match.

However, the European side collapsed in the middle part of the first half, which saw Egypt fire from all cylinders and deliver a 7:1 run, with plenty of fast breaks, but also goals from right back Yahia Omar and line player Ahmed Adel, which saw the African champions secure a seven-goal lead, 14:7, leaving Hungary dumbfounded.

That did not mean that Hungary will just resign their hopes and concede the loss. Resilient, and led by 21-year-old right wing, Bence Imre, who is just making his debut at the Olympic Games, Hungary started to bounce back slowly, to cut the gap at the break to only four goals, 15:19.

Imre and his more experienced teammate, centre back Mate Lekai, masterminded the comeback in the second half for the European side, as Egypt had their own woes in the start of the second part. As Egypt’s attack was slowed down, Hungary engineered their own 4:0 run, to tie the match for the first time, 23:23, after 45 minutes.

But as much as the European side tried to take the lead, they always failed in crucial moments. In fact, it was Egypt which suddenly woke up and with Adel scoring nine goals, right back Yahia Omar adding nine himself and left back Yehia Elderaa having a six-goal outing, it looked like Egypt’s win is signed, sealed and delivered.

Up four goals with four minutes and 39 seconds to gom 32:28, Hungary never backed down, cut the gap to a single goal, 32:31, but a goal from Omar and a miss from left wing Bendeguz Boka decided the match, one of the most exciting so far at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Egypt, which finished fourth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, secured a win in their opener at Paris 2024, 35:32, throwing off their campaign in style, while Hungary will now lament that loss and try to come back in two days, against Argentina.