Japan sealed their third-ever win against a European team at the IHF Women’s World Championship, after completing a terrific comeback against Croatia, 28:26.

The Japan side finish second in Group G with four points, carrying two for Group IV of the main round, as Croatia finish third and will have a mountain to climb if they are to proceed to the knockout phase of the competition.

GROUP G
Croatia vs Japan 26:28 (14:14)

With only 90 minutes before the start of the game, one that was decisive for their future at Spain 2021, Croatia received a huge blow, after three players tested positive for COVID-19.

Three backs, Camila Micijevic, Ivana Dezic and Dora Krsnik, who combined for 14 goals in the previous two matches, could not take part in the game, leaving the Croatian side with only 10 outfield players.

It was the kind of situation that Croatia thrived in at the Women’s EHF EURO 2020 last December, but at Spain 2021, Nenad Sostaric’s side looked like they were just missing a beat from time to time, especially in defence.

As the Croatian coach previously stated, they would find winning games where they conceded more than 25 goals difficult and in the first half against Japan, their defence was not just on par with what they had planned.

Surely, missing Micijevic and Krsnik was devastating, but the pacey Japanese backs were constantly attacking the spaces in the Croatian defence, taking a 10:8 lead after 17 minutes. But then, an illegal change from Japan helped Croatia back into the game, taking advantage of their double power play.

Using a 3:0 unanswered run spurred by line player Katarina Jezic and left back Larissa Kalaus, Croatia took back the lead, 11:10, but could not stop Japanese back Kaho Nakayama, who scored four times in the first half. When the first 30 minutes elapsed, the two sides were deadlocked, 14:14, which would have hampered their chances of progressing from the main round.

While Croatia might not have had the depth required, they surely had the experience to resist the Japanese challenge, with the Asian side looking for their third win against a European side at the IHF Women’s World Championship in the third consecutive edition.

But when their defence started to get the required stops, despite the dazzling speed on display from Japan, things were on the up for Croatia. Another 3:0 run between the 40th and the 45th minutes saw Sostaric’s side back in action, taking advantage of the aggressive 7 vs 6 Japanese attacks, that translated into two open goals for Croatia.

It looked like game over, but Croatia were already tired. And when push came to shove, Japan were clearly more focused, had more energy and got the necessary stops in defence, forcing the European side to turn the ball over 15 times.

As Croatia could only score one goal between the 45th and the 56th minute, Japan delivered an otherworldly 6:1 run to turn the game on its head and take a commanding 26:24 lead with only four minutes to go.

Powered by a nine-goal outing from right back Kaho Nakamaya, who scored four of her team’s last eight goals, Japan held on and clinched an impressive 28:26 win, their third against a European side in the competition, after the ones against Montenegro at Germany 2017 and Romania at Japan 2019.

Group IV of the main round is now complete, with Brazil and Spain starting with four points, Argentina and Japan with two each, while Croatia and Austria will be at zero points.

The three sides from Group G of the preliminary round will move to Torrevieja, as Japan will face hosts Spain on Wednesday, 8 December, with Croatia crossing paths with Argentina, in what already seems to be a pivotal game for these team’s futures in the competition.

hummel Player of the Match: Yumi Kitahara, Japan