Croatia met Bahrain in the first match of the main round of the 2021 World Handball Championship in Egypt.
Croatia entered this match as a big favorite in the fight for the quarterfinals of the tournament. Recall, Croatia transferred three points to the second round (main round) and is in second place behind Denmark, which transferred a maximum of four. Bahrain did not transfer any points because they lost to Denmark (34:20) and Argentina (24:21). They advanced thanks to a 34:27 victory over DR Congo. In the group stage, Croatia drew with Japan (29:29) and beat Angola (28:20) and Qatar (26:24).
Croatia v. Bahrain Recap
Strlek scored the first goal of the match to give Croatia the 1:0 lead in the first minute. Mamic scored for 2:0 just under 3 minutes in.
Maric scored for 3:0 in the 4th minute. Sego kept Croatia’s goal clean in the first five minutes of play.
Horvat scored a 7-meter throw for 4:1 in the 6th minute. Duvnjak made it 5:1 in the 8th minute. Sebetic increased Croatia’s lead even more – 6:1 in the 9th minute.
Cupic scored from 7-meters in the 10th minute (7:1). Mamic scored for 8:2 in the 14th.
Maric scored his second goal of the game in the 15th minute (9:2). Horvat scored with a lob for 10:3 in the 21st minute.
Maric scored his third goal of the game for 11:4 two minutes later. Mandic scored for 12:6 in the 25th.
With two minutes to go in the first half, Horvat made it 13:6. Croatia went into halftime up by 5 goals – 13:8.
Horvat’s famous lob made it into the gal to open the second half.
Croatia was up by six goals in the 35th minute – 16:10. Cupic scored for 17:11 two minutes later.
Maric scored his fourth goal of the game in the 39th minute for 18:12. Jaganjac scored for +7 – 19:12.
Martinovic scored an upper-corner rocket in the 42nd for 20:13 – and again for 21:14.
Yet another lob by Horvat made its way into the goal for 22:14 with just over 10 minutes to go. And Horvat’s fourth lob made it 23:17 in the 53rd.
Martinovic scored moments later to make it 24:17.
Mandic scored in an empty goal with five minutes to go (25:18). Horvat scored in another empty goal seconds later for 26:18 – Croatia’s biggest advantage of the game.
Mandic scored with a minute and a half to go for 27:18. Croatia ended the game +10 thanks to a goal in the final seconds (28:18). Marin Sego was named the player of the match!
After Bahrain, Croatia will play against Argentina (Saturday) and Denmark (Monday). The best two teams will place among the top eight.
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