After the tournament host Egypt and Chile opened the 2021 World Handball Championship on Wednesday, and a day later seven more first-round matches were played, the Croatia handball team met Japan to begin their Group C campaign at the World Championship in Egypt.
On Thursday, coach Lino Červar wrote off four players for the first round of the competition, thus cutting the player list to 16 names to begin Croatia’s journey at the World Champs.
Croatia is the favorite of Group C, which also includes Angola and Qatar.
Croatia v. Japan Recap
Strlek put Croatia in the lead in the first minute for 1:0, though Japan equalized moments later from a 7-meter shot for 1:1. Japan took the lead in the 3rd minute for 1:2.
Strlek scored the equalizer for 2:2 in the 5th minute. Japan scored for 2:3 in the 6th, and 2:4 in the 7th. Japan was up by 3 goals in the 10th minute, up by 4 in the 11th, and up by 5 just moments later.
Martinovic gave Croatia life again in the 12th minute for 3:7 and again for 4:7 in the 14th.
Mamic scored for 5:8 in the 15th and Maric for 6:9 in the 16th.
Japan was up by 5 goals in the 19th minute – 7:12.
Horvat scored for 8:12 in the 20th minute.
Japan had its biggest lead in the 22nd minute – 8:14. Martinovic scored for 9:14 moments later.
Japan took advantage of Croatia’s shaky defense and scored in almost every attack. Croatia missed many certain goals, which came back to haunt them.
Horvat scored for 11:16 in the 25th minute.
With one minute to go in the first half, Cindric scored for 14:17, which was the result going into halftime.
Maric scored for Croatia to open the second half and bring them only two goals behind – 15:17 in the 31st minute. Cindric scored for 16:18 in the 33rd minute. Cupic made it 17:19 in the 37th.
Japan was up by four goals in the 39th minute.
Maric scored for 18:21 in the 40th minute. Horvat scored for 19:22 in the 42nd.
Duvnjak finally scored for 20:22 in the 43rd minute and again for 21:22 in the 45th. Cindric scored for 22:23.
Croatia finally equalized in the 48th minute thanks to a Brozovic goal for 23:23! It took them nearly all game.
Duvnjak made it 24:24 with 10 minutes to go and Maric scored yet again for 25:25!
Cindric scored for 26:26 with 7 minutes to go and 25:25 with 5 minutes to go.
Cupic scored from 7-meters with 3 minutes to go – 28:28.
Cupic scored for 29:29, which was the final result of the game.
The three best teams from each group will advance and transfer points to the next round.
In the second round, there will be four groups with six national teams each, and the two best will advance to the quarterfinals, from which they will play by knockout until the end of the competition.
Group C intersects with Group D, which includes Denmark, Argentina, Bahrain, and DR Congo.
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