Paris 2024 | Nail-biting finish of the preliminary round sees Spain progress and Croatia eliminated

Spain eliminated Croatia in a nail-biting ending of the preliminary round of the men’s handball competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with “Los Hispanos” clinching the last quarter-finals ticket to Lille.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES – PRELIMINARY ROUND
GROUP A
Spain vs Croatia 32:31 (20:15)

The end of the preliminary round of the men’s handball competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games provided an exciting prospect, a match which was going to decide the fate of the last quarter-finals berth. A head-to-head battle between two old rivals, Croatia and Spain, which met over 20 times in the last 25 years, with Croatia taking a 39:29 win in January against “Los Hispanos” at the EHF EURO 2024.

The maths were simple: whoever won, were into the quarter-finals. In case of a draw, Spain had the upper hand, thanks to their superior goal difference. Basically, it was all or nothing for Croatia, which came into the competition with big ambitions, won two matches, but had everything riding on the last 60 minutes, in the 30th match at Paris 2024.

On paper, Spain were the more consistent team, but a surge of morale always displayed by Croatia could cancel that. And sure enough, the match was balanced in the first minutes, when Croatia fell early, but claimed back the lead with a good surge, 3:2. However, that was their only lead in the first half.

Spain were somewhat of an enigma in the first matches at Paris 2024, when their attack did not rise to the occasion. But after putting 37 goals past Japan, they doubled down with a 31-goal outing against Germany, in a 31:33 loss, which somehow showed flashes of potential in the Spain attack.

Despite a great outing from goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanovic, who had 13 saves for a 38% saving efficiency in the first 44th minute, Spain managed to score 20 goals in the first half, as a 4:0 run in the middle of the first part of the match, spurred by right wings Aleix Gomez and Kauldi Odriozola, who scored three times, helped “Los Hispanos” create a five-goal lead, 20:15.

Therefore, Croatia had a mountain to climb, but a 3:0 run to start the second half helped them cut the gap early to only two goals, 20:18. It was Kuzmanovic and right back Luka Lovre Klarica, who scored his first six goals in the competition, who shined on the court and even brought Croatia to one goal behind, 26:25, with a fiery end of the match expected.

The final was a true nail-biter, with Croatia giving everything they got, as with two minutes left on the clock they were only one goal down, 30:29. But when right wing Mario Sostaric conceded a two-minute suspension after hitting Spain goalkeeper Gonzalo Perez de Vargas in the face in a one-on-one situation, everything was over.

Croatia tied the score, 31:31, with 16 seconds to go, but Spain had one last attack and Aleix Gomez scored his fifth goal of the match to gift Spain the win, 32:31, as “Los Hispanos” progressed to the quarter-finals, eliminating Croatia in the process.

Spain finished third in the final standings of the group and will face Egypt in the quarter-finals, while Croatia end up on the fifth place and are eliminated, another tough pill to swallow for the European side which is still looking to regain their balance and strength.