malmö,Sweden – Croatia defeated Hungary 27-25 in a tightly contested Main Round match of the Men’s Handball European Championship on Saturday,securing their place in the semi-finals. The loss eliminates Hungary from contention for a medal, relegating them to the 9-12 placement bracket. The game, played before 5,860 spectators at the Malmö Arena, saw several lead changes and a dramatic finish as Croatia capitalized on a late push to overcome a determined Hungarian side.
MEN’S HANDBALL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
MAIN ROUND, ROUND 4
GROUP II (MALMÖ)
CROATIA–HUNGARY 27–25 (13–15)
Malmö, 5860 spectators. Referees: Jorum, Kleven (Norway)
CROATIA: M. Mandic – Sostaric 4 (4), Maras 1, Martinovic 3, Nacinovic 3, LUCIN 4, D. MANDIC 4. Substitutes: KUZMANOVIC (goalkeeper), Mamic, Cindric 1, Klarica 4, Glavas, Susnja, RAUZAN 3, Cesko, Jelinic. Head Coach: Dagur Sigurdsson
HUNGARY: Bartucz – IMRE B. 7 (2), ILIC Z. 5, Sipos A., LIGETVÁRI 3, Szita 2, Fazekas G. 2. Substitutes: Palasics (goalkeeper), Rosta M., Bóka 2, Hanusz, Pergel 3, Krakovszki B. 1. Head Coach: Chema Rodríguez
Score progression. 4th min.: 1–3. 8th min.: 2–6. 19th min.: 8–12. 23rd min.: 11–12. 27th min.: 12–15. 35th min.: 14–18. 42nd min.: 18–20. 48th min.: 22–20. 53rd min.: 25–23. 57th min.: 26–25
Exclusions: 6 min, vs. 8 min
Penalty shots: 4/4, vs. 3/2
Croatia secured a spot in the semi-finals of the European Championship with a hard-fought 27-25 victory over Hungary on Saturday in Malmö. The result means Hungary will compete for placement in the 9-12 bracket. With the win, Croatia advances alongside Iceland, while the host nation, Sweden, will now play for 5th place in Herning.
Hungary’s head coach, Chema Rodríguez, fielded the same starting lineup as their previous match, with right back Máté Ónodi-Jánoskúti still sidelined due to illness. László Bartucz got the start in goal, immediately making a save on Ivan Martinovic, and Hungary quickly established an early lead with a fast-paced, six-on-six attack. A two-minute suspension for Gergő Fazekas, however, hampered their momentum.
Patrik Ligetvári scored from the left wing, catching the Croatian defense off guard, and Hungary raced to a four-goal advantage, converting their first 12 shots. Bence Imre was particularly effective, leading the attack, while the team consistently found open looks on the wings. Despite a few turnovers, Hungary maintained a composed and confident style of play, building a two-to-three goal lead.
The Croatian goalkeepers, Matej Mandic and Dominik Kuzmanovic, struggled to find their rhythm early, only facing shots when retrieving the ball from the net. Croatia began to mount a comeback as the Norwegian referees issued a series of two-minute suspensions, sending both Ligetvári and Ádám Sipos to the bench. Zoran Ilic responded with a goal for Hungary, but Croatia couldn’t capitalize on the resulting two-man advantage, leaving the score at a three-goal margin.
Just as they did against Sweden, Hungary played with a deserved two-goal lead at halftime (15-13). While mistakes persisted, the team remained organized, with players demonstrating focus and determination throughout the first 30 minutes, outperforming Croatia in key statistical categories like shooting accuracy and saves.
Hungary maintained their lead early in the second half, but Croatia steadily closed the gap. After Kuzmanovic, who entered the game in goal, saved Ligetvári’s long-range attempt and Mario Sostaric converted his third penalty shot, the score was tied at 44 minutes. A collision between Hungary’s Zoran Ilic and Croatia’s Ivan Martinovic as they both went for a loose ball was reviewed by officials and correctly ruled as a standard play.
Hungary then hit a rough patch, scoring only one goal in a 12-minute stretch as Croatia gained confidence and momentum. Kuzmanovic, later named the game’s MVP, emerged as a key factor in the Croatian goal. Despite the struggles, Hungary remained within one or two goals, bringing the game down to the wire. With just a minute and a half remaining, Ádám Sipos was sent off after a foul on Luka Klaric, mirroring the situation from their match against Sweden, leaving Hungary to finish the game shorthanded.
Croatia ran down the clock on their final possession, and David Mandic scored the decisive goal, securing a 27-25 victory. Croatia, along with Iceland, advanced to the semi-finals, while Sweden will compete for 5th place in Herning. The Croatian fans celebrated the win in Malmö Arena, as the home crowd fell silent.
