Which is held rarely a finals in handball, without France interfering in the decisive battles for the medals.
How can it still go by the ongoing european championship in handball, but Friday evening got the French to a terrible start in the championship.
France lost 25-28 to the adult Portugal, Trondheim in Norway and is thus under pressure after the opening match.
The two nations are placed in group D, which also counts Norway and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The latter two will meet later Friday.
France went to premierekampen with a large pressure to succeed on the shoulders with the historical records and the many profiles in mind, but all the way through Friday's showdown had the problems.
the Portuguese seemed in no way frightened by the French resistance and hang on, for they even took the lead late in the first half.
In France, the goal is no longer the legendary goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer, who guard the goal. Instead, Yann Genty on goal, and he had an appalling first half, where he didn't get in the way too much and also left the cage and left an open goal in several cases.
Portugal went to the break ahead 12-11, and the expected French onslaught had to wait for. The Portuguese gunners continued to be sharp and had with 11 minutes again the ability to bring itself to the front with four goals at the post 22-19.
instead, they were hit by a two-minute expulsions and a few minutes later, it was 22-22.
France's Romain Lagarde stepped in nature with several important goals towards the end, but a few French expulsions were expensive.
Portugal was pressing on, and finally had Nikola Karabatic and the other French stars realize that the opening match was not just a bad dream.
In group F got Slovenia off to a good start on EM, when Poland was defeated 26-23. Here, Switzerland and Sweden in action later Friday as the two other teams in the group.
See also: Profiles in EM-danger: Here it is, the danes ' EM-status
See also: Germany opens handball-EM with favoritsejr
