The Croatian national handball team defeated North Macedonia 27:25 in the preparatory match for the World Cup on Wednesday in the Varaždin Arena.
The chosen ones Dagur Sigurdsson they worked hard to win a game in which they were the favorites, but in a tense finish they managed to secure a celebration.
Sigurdsson decided to start the match with an interesting variant in which Martinović played in the position of middle outside, while he was on the right Mateo Marash. It was not in the frame Luke Cindrić and Luke Lovre Klarica, which would further strengthen the rotation in those two positions.
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Zvonimir Srna with six and Ivan Martinović with five goals led us to victory 🎯#CRODENNOR2025 pic.twitter.com/ncRv6EhyqG
— Croatian Handball Federation (@HRS_CHF) January 8, 2025
Croatia opened the match better and held the advantage, and in the 19th minute they had a lead of three points (9:6). However, the Macedonians quickly reached a settlement, and then they took a break and turned the match in their favor with a score of 14:13.
Croatia raised the level of play in defense in the second half, but failed to break away to a significant difference. The key period was from the 38th to the 40th minute, in which Croatia had three sevens and with them she could separate herself to +4, but the Macedonian goalkeeper Marko Kizikj saved all three.
🗣️ Coach Dagur Sigurdsson commented on tonight’s match with North Macedonia, and he was joined by our best scorer tonight, Zvonimir Srna, and the always great Mario Šoštarić 🤝🏻#crohandball #CRODENNOR2025 #inspiredbyhandball #iznadsvihhrvatska pic.twitter.com/2S1Drrtnc7
— Croatian Handball Federation (@HRS_CHF) January 8, 2025
In the tense ending, Croatia was still more concentrated, and he also helped Ivan Pešićwho stood in goal for the last 15 minutes and saved five of 12 Macedonian shots. For comparison, Dominik Kuzmanović also had five saves in the entire game before that.
He was the best in Croatia Zvonimir Srna with six goals from eight attempts, while Martinović scored five goals. Marin Šipić he had a perfect 4/4. They scored four goals for Kiril Lazarov’s team Zharko Peshevski and Nenad Kosteski.
Croatia will have another warm-up game ahead of the World Cup. On Friday, they will host Zagreb in the Arena Slovenia. Sigurdsson’s World Cup squad will begin on Wednesday against Bahrain, followed by tests with Argentina and Egypt.
(www.jabuka.tv)
