Perfect first half pushes Argentina into main round in Zagreb

Rodolfo Jung’s Argentina put in a perfect opening 30 minutes to seal their main round spot at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 with a single-goal victory over Bahrain – but it was close in the end.

The South American side now stay in Zagreb for the next stage of competition while Aron Kristjansson’s team move to Porec for the President’s Cup.

GROUP H
Argentina vs Bahrain 26:25 (16:11)

With both teams missing key players well in advance of this clash, there was opportunity for others to shine, and in the case of Argentina, it was Club Balonmano Benidorm’s Ramiro Martinez.

His deadliness on the fast-breaks in particular, combined with just one turnover saw a perfect first half from a South American perspective. Martinez would end the half with seven goals and later take the best player award. 

Argentina, with just 15 players out of the 16 allowed in their team, due to a fracture to the hand of Lucas Dario Moscariello, caused problems time and time again for a deflated Bahrain side who already took a time out in the eighth minute (7:17) with their opponents 4:2 ahead.

Kristjansson was visibly angry at his side turning over the ball – they ended the first half with eight and finished with 18 – and sought to make changes in a calm, collected way. During the pause he was overheard telling his players to “keep the distance on the one-on-one situations.

By the 25th minute, Argentina were +5 (14:9) and cruising and they continued pushing forward into the second half, Bahrain using another time out early on (39th minute) as they found themselves six-goals down (20:14).

However, games are never over in handball until the final whistle, and over the next 18 minutes they gradually pulled closer. In what could, maybe should, have been a turning point for the Asian side, a fast-break from Hussain Ali was sunk home despite Argentina goalkeeper Santiago Giovanola impeded the attacker and receiving a two-minute suspension.

Captain Leonel Maciel came into replace him between the sticks and made a big save moments later from the same player to keep Argentina 24:23 ahead.

But Bahrain would not be denied, Jasim Khamis breaking through to even up the game (24:24) in the 58th minute after sloppy play from both sides, which had seen Argentina miss four attacks in as many minutes.

However, Martin Jung, son of the Argentina coach, stepped up when it mattered most, finally breaking through to find the net twice in two attacks to make it 26:24 and provide some breathing room with 34 seconds left as Kristjansson took a time out.

His side then grabbed one back with 18 seconds left through Mohamed Ahmed and it was a tense as the Arena Zagreb has been all week. 

Jung senior then took a time out and only need his players to hold possession, which they did, just about (Nicolas Bono nearly mishandling deep in his own half), to cause celebrations for the South Americans and the Bahrainis to hold their heads in their hands on the bench.

hummel Player of the Match: Ramiro Martinez (Argentina)