Day 2 | Narrow Wins, Big Plays and a Sunset to Remember
The second day of the European Universities Handball Championship Covilhã 2025 brought us everything we love about sport, tight games, emotional highs, tough defeats, and moments that remind us why handball is so much more than just a scoreline.
The day kicked off bright and early at 9:00 AM, and it didn’t take long for the intensity to hit. The University of Beira Interior came incredibly close to their first victory, but it was Gumushane University who edged ahead with a narrow 30–29 win in a match full of grit, noise and tension. Three players saw red, two from the Turkish side and one from the hosts, in a true battle from start to finish.
Meanwhile, over in the women’s Group C, University of Mainz and Polytechnic University of Bucharest delivered a real handball thriller, going head-to-head in a high-energy clash that ended 35–33 for the German team. A game like that could’ve gone either way, and that’s what makes it so exciting.
As the morning moved on, the action stayed electric. At 11:00 AM, University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour and University of Castilla-La Mancha locked horns in one of the day’s most dramatic matchups, a 26–26 draw where no one backed down until the final second.
In the women’s court, German Sport University Cologne bounced back from day one, beating University of Valencia22–19 and proving they’re still very much in this tournament.
The afternoon came, and with it, more fireworks. Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava kept their momentum strong with a 37–31 win over University of Maia, while University of León made a powerful statement against the home team, University of Beira Interior, winning 40–14 in a tough game for the Portuguese side.
And then, Croatia stepped up. At 6:00 PM, the University of Zagreb took full control against German Sport University Cologne, securing a confident 29–21 win in the men’s Group D. But they didn’t stop there, Zagreb’s women’s team followed up with an even bigger performance, beating University of Würzburg 40–20 to close out the day with style. One thing was clear: Croatia had arrived.
But while the games brought fire, the night brought good vibes only.
From 8:00 PM, the party moved poolside, literally. The Sunset Pool Party at Piscina Praia gave athletes, volunteers and staff a chance to unwind, dance to a live DJ set, and let out all the energy of the day. There were football matches, ping-pong duels, even a boxing arcade machine, and everywhere you looked, there were smiles, cheers and spontaneous dance moves.
It was the perfect reminder that this championship, once more, isn’t just about competition.
It’s about connection, culture, and creating memories that’ll last long after the final whistle.
Covilhã is alive with sport, music, and unity, and the best is still to come.