Argentina take main round victory against Cape Verde

Both sides had called this match their ‘final’, knowing it represented the best chance to grab two points in the main round of the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship and it a match where the lead changed hands a number of times, it was the South Americans who emerged victorious.

MAIN ROUND, GROUP IV
Argentina vs Cape Verde 30:26 (14:14)

With no team changes from their last games, and Cape Verde still missing their first-choice goalkeeper Elcio Fernandes, both coaches entered this game full of hope for their second win in Zagreb.

The opening exchanges saw a variety of defensive methods deployed by both sides, Cape Verde’s Delcio Pina keeping a close eye on Argentina’s Tomas Canete, while Canete and his side worked hard in a 4-2 defence, switching to 3-3 at times.

For the neutral, it was exciting to watch, but for the players, it must have been tiring both mentally and physically, in addition to the added pressure of victory expectation.

On the goalscoring front it took time to warm-up (1:1, 5 minutes), but the African side quickly went ahead (3:1), before their opponents struck back, going on a 3:0 run as Leonel Maciel in the Argentina goal went to work, sitting on three saves as his side went 5:3 up and Jorge Rito called a Cape Verde time out.

But then Cape Verde went on their own 3:0 run, drawing it level at 7:7 in the 19th minute as an open Argentina goal, due to a two-minute was too good to ignore.

Open goals then proved to be in vogue from this point with both sides adding to their totals – and missing – in equal respect.

With Rodolfo Jung’s Argentina unable to pull away again, he took a time out (10:10, 25th minute), but their post-pause shot was save and Cape Verde went ahead again. The two sides exchanged goals up to the break and no-one inside the Arena Zagreb would have thought the 14:14 half-time score was unfair on either team.

The second half saw a rejuvenated Argentina come out and they meant business almost immediately, dominating the attack, going on a 5:1 scoring run which prompted Rito’s second time out (19:15, 38th minute). Their frustration was evident with Pina letting his emotions out on a water bottle standing close by.

But, again, his side came back, and when the clock struck 40 minutes, the game was finely balanced (20:19 to Argentina).

However, Argentina have their ace in the pack and that took the form of Nicolas Bono and with his four goals and two assists predominantly coming in the last 20 minutes, he proved too much for Cape Verde as they were finally broken and started to turnover the ball, allowing him to score three of the next four Argentina goals to put his side 24:20 up with under 15 minutes remaining.

Bono’s art came from all over the court and when the impressive Gualther Furtado failed with his behind-the-back assist with 10 minutes to go, allowing Argentina the ball and Juan Saco the opportunity to smash home to make the difference five goals (26:21) and seal the game.

hummel Player of the Match: Leonel Maciel (Argentina)