Croatia advances to semi-finals after thrilling win over Hungary
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Croatia has booked its place in the semi-finals of the 2025 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship following a thrilling 31-30 victory over Hungary in Zagreb on Tuesday evening.
Once again, the sold-out Zagreb Arena provided an electrifying atmosphere as the passionate home crowd spurred Croatia to a hard-fought win in a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Croatia made a strong start, quickly taking the lead and setting the pace. However, Hungary responded well, and the first half became a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to gain a decisive advantage.
As the halftime whistle blew, the score was evenly poised at 16-16.
The second half was equally intense, with the lead continuing to change hands multiple times. Both teams fought fiercely, demonstrating exceptional skill and determination in attack and defence.
Croatia’s goalkeeper, Dominik Kuzmanović, who has been one of the standout players of the tournament, once again rose to the occasion. Kuzmanović made a series of crucial saves in the second half, keeping his team in contention during key moments of the game.
In the final minutes, after trailing by four goals, Croatia managed to fight back with disciplined defence and clinical finishing to even the match 30-30 with a minute remaining.
With Hungary in attack, Kuzmanović would make another save and Croatia would go down the other end and snatch victory in the final seconds.
With this win, Croatia advances to the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the quarter-final clash between France and Egypt.