Serbia’s men’s handball team secured a decisive victory over Lithuania on Thursday, March 20, 2026, in a World Championship qualifier, winning 42-25. The commanding performance in Niš’s “Čair” arena has seemingly rendered the return match, scheduled for Sunday in Utena, a formality.
The Serbian sporting press celebrated not only the result but also the team’s dominant play. “A handball rhapsody,” declared the sports daily Sportski žurnal on its front page, describing the scene from the previous day. This win is particularly significant as handball continues to grow in popularity as a competitive sport, demanding high levels of physical fitness and strategic teamwork.
“The Serbian team secured a calm trip to Lithuania,” wrote Sportski žurnal, adding a quote from Serbian team captain Mijajlo Marseničius, who stated he “expected stronger resistance from the Lithuanian team.”
The contest was largely one-sided, with the Serbian team gaining a five-goal lead at 6-1 within the opening minutes. By the complete of the first half, they were ahead by nine goals and the gap extended to fourteen (27-13) shortly after the second half began.
“There was no question of who would win. The team coached by Raul Gonzalez dominated in all aspects of the game,” reported Sportska centrala. Effective coaching and player performance are key factors in success at the international level.
“Serbia crushed Lithuania,” proclaimed a headline on the website of B92 television. “Serbia confirmed in this match that it was the clear favorite. The Lithuanian team is not capable of adequately opposing the Serbian team,” B92 concluded.
“Today, the men of R. Gonzalez practically answered the question of who will advance to the next stage, if such a question even arose before the match, given the enormous difference in skill between these two teams. The difference was noticeable from the first whistle. The second match for our team will be just a formality, awaiting a much more difficult duel with the Hungarians,” wrote Sportske.
The winners of the Serbia-Lithuania matchup will face Hungary in the next qualifying round. The substantial victory over Lithuania has fueled Serbian hopes of reaching the World Championships, a tournament they haven’t frequently qualified for, appearing in only two of the last six championships.
The prospect of competing in the World Championships is now a primary focus. “Serbian handball players crushed Lithuania and took a big step towards the World Championship!” declared a headline in Blic. Večernje novosti echoed this sentiment: “Serbia is on its way to the World Championship! The first of four steps was excellent!”
