January 22, 2020 – The Croatia handball team met Spain for their final game of the second round in the European Championships in Vienna. The meeting was crucial to determine first place in the group, and thus Croatia’s semifinal opponent.
Croatia could not count on Luka Cindric for this game, who has been one of their best players of the tournament thus far.
Spain had the first attack of the game, which they scored for 0:1 in the 38th second. Croatia was unsuccessful in its first attack.
Stepancic, however, equalized in the 2nd minute for 1:1. Karacic made it 2:2 in the 3rd minute, scored again for 3:3 in the 5th minute, and made it 4:4 in the 6th.
Karacic continued with his brilliance to make it 5:5 in the 9th minute. Croatia and Spain were going-for-goal.
Croatia took the lead for the first time in the game thanks to a Mamic goal in the 12th minute for 6:5.
Stepancic made it 7:6 in the 17th minute, and Sipic scored to increase Croatia’s lead to 8:6 in the 19th minute. Sego was brilliant in goal.
At this point in the game, there hadn’t been a goal for over three minutes.
Karacic scored his fifth goal of the game for 9:7 in the 23rd minute.
Horvat scored a 7-meter shot for 10:8 in the 24th minute.
Spain equalized in the 25th minute for 10:10.
Croatia retook the lead in the 26th minute for 11:10 thanks to Karacic once again, though it was Spain to regain their lead one minute before the half for 11:12.
Spain increased its lead at the start of the second half for 11:13, and they were up by three goals in the 33rd minute (11:14). It was 11:15 for Spain in the 35th.
Karacic scored his seventh goal of the game to make it 12:15 – but in the 37th minute, it was 12:17… and in the 39th, 12:18.
Duvnjak scored a 7-meter shot for 13:18 and Brozovic scored in the 41st for 14:19.
Karacic reduced Croatia’s deficit back to -5 for 15:20 in the 46th minute. Sipic made it 16:20 in the 47th minute, and 17:21 in the 48th.
Karacic scored for -3 and 18:21 in the 50th minute, and scored his 10th goal of the game in the 52nd for 19:21!
Croatia was well on its way to a comeback and Horvat scored for 20:21 in the 53rd minute.
Mamic scored the equalizer for 21:21 with five minutes to go!
Duvnjak scored a rocket in the 58th minute to give Croatia the lead (22:21).
Spain was given a 7-meter shot in the 58th minute, though Asanin was unable to make the save. Spain equalized for 22:22, which was the final score of the game.
Igor Karacic was named the man of the match.
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