The Croatia handball team delivered a stunning performance, defeating the Czech Republic 36:20 in a packed Zagreb Arena in the fourth round of European Championship qualifiers. With this victory, Croatia has secured direct qualification for next year’s tournament in Germany, as well as the top spot in their group, ensuring a more favorable draw.
Croatia took control early, building an eight-goal lead by halftime. Marin Šipić shone with five goals, while goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanović was outstanding, making 44% of saves, including two penalty stops. A poignant moment marked the start of the match when play was paused after just 37 seconds for a minute of silence in honor of the victims of the recent fire in North Macedonia. Croatian fans in the stands also displayed a Macedonian flag as a tribute.
Standing Ovations for Mandić and Jaganjac
Croatia continued to dominate in the second half, ultimately finishing with a commanding 16-goal margin. Marin Šipić and Filip Glavaš led the scoring with six goals each, while Jonas Jozef was Czechia’s top scorer with five.
Both Croatian goalkeepers, Dominik Kuzmanović and Matej Mandić, recorded over 30% save efficiency. Mandić received a standing ovation from the Zagreb crowd, as this was his first time playing a home match for Croatia since his return. Another returnee, Halil Jaganjac, also drew applause, netting two goals.
