Croatia Survives Norway and Enters Semi-Finals
The Croatian national handball team might have played their hardest match at the European Handball Championship, drawing 23-23 with Norway, which was enough for Croatia to get to the semi-finals.
A very hard match was expected, and this is exactly what they got. Norway has proven to be the hardest rival at the championship. However, the Croatian team got their act together, forgot all of their problems with injuries, and played a great match, which has brought them to the much anticipated semi-finals, where they will play against France.
The start of the match brought us two minutes without points, then finally Hagen scored to give Norway a 1-0 lead. Ivano Balic was specially patched up for this match, and despite various problems with injuries, he scores Croatia’s first goal for 1-1. Hagen immediately returns with another goal, but one of the best players in that match against Montenegro, Ivan Cupic, makes it 2-2. Thanks to two goals from Ivano Balic, Croatia gets its first lead in the 9th minute. Hagen and Strand return the minimal advantage to Norway. However, it is important to mention that the whole first half passed with equal game-play, without any large series of scoring, and what is most important, without any very harsh fouls that the Croatian team feared.
The referees did their job very correctly, so we can dedicate ourselves to clean game-play, which to be honest, was not good. Little goals were given, which can be attributed to the defence of both teams that did not allow shots from good positions. After Croatia’s lead from the 9th minute, Norway started playing better, and did not give their lead up to the end of the half. The largest danger for Croatia was in the last two minutes of the first half, when they were left without two players on the court. Norway did not exploit their opportunity, whilst Lackovic was great as well. Lackovic scored the last three goals for Croatia in the first half, and instead of being three points behind Norway, the half time score showed a minimal lead to Norway, 11-10.
Hagen was the most dangerous player for Norway, who scored five goals, who was joined by Strand with four. Croatia’s highest scorers were Ivano Balic, who led Croatia in the first half of the match, and Blazenko Lackovic, who took responsibility at the end of the match.
Lackovic opens the second half of the match with his fourth goal in a row. Norway score two goals quickly, but Ivano Balic copied Lackovic, and scored his fourth goal for the match. Niksa Kaleb scored in the 35th minute for 13-13. Norway take the lead in the next attack, but also lose a player after Lund fouls Vori. Unfortunately, Duvnjak missed the penalty shot.
After blocking the penalty, Ege also stops a good attempt by Lackovic. This is immediately used by Norway in the offence, where they manage to score with one player less, and bring their lead back up to two goals. Kaleb’s goal broke the short shortage of goals, that occurred because of a few mistakes in the offence of both sides. A great mistake in the 39th minute led to an easy goal for Norway. Pero Metlicic finally found a weak point in Ege’s defence, and lessened Norway’s lead to 16-15.
Metlicic leaves the game because of a cut on his eye, and the most interesting thing here is the referee’s decision, which was against Croatia, even though one referee first called a penalty for Jenssen’s foul on Metlicic. It was one of the rare disputed referee decisions, but that was to be expected, Norway are the hosts after all. Croatia finally manage to equalize through Balic in the 42nd minute. This was a hard match in which nobody spared themselves. The stakes were high, the semi-finals of the European Handball Championship.
Croatia gets new problems in the 44th minute. Again, Croatia is left with only four players on the court. The was immediately used by Skjarvold, and bring Norway the lead. A minute later, the same player gets sent off, which was punished by Ivano Balic with his sixth goal for the match. Niksa Kaleb scores in the 47th minute for Croatia’s first lead after the one they had in the 9th minute, 4-3. Ivano Balic did wonders. He goes to the line and scores for Croatia’s two point lead. But Croatia gets another player sent off, and gives Norway a chance to get back in the match. Strand scores the penalty and brings the score to 19-18, and in the next attack, Skjarvold equalizes the score for Norway.
The game intensified in defence again, and only Ivano Balic managed to find his way to the goal. He scored his eighth goal in the 52nd minute, and brings Croatia to the lead. Alilovic defends an attempt by Norway, and Lackovic scores on the other side for a two goal advantage, eight minutes before the end of the match. Mirko Alilovic’s tenth save came at the right time.
Norway was playing a bit faster at the time, and in some moments, slightly panicked.
The long range, and before all, lucky goal by Solberg lessens Croatia’s lead to 21-20. However, Metlicic returns the favour, and brings Croatia to a hard earned two point lead, only four minutes before the end of the match.
Lino cheered on his players in all possible and impossible ways, which the players deserved with the brave play. Croatia had a great opportunity to gain a three point advantage, but a mistake between Balic – Lackovic gave a new chance to Norway. This was punished by Skjarvold, and the match returned to unpredictability, where it was most of the time. Mirko Alilovic had a great save only a minute and fifteen seconds before the end of the match, denying Norway a chance to equalize. Croatia did not score in their attack, and Norway then equalize for 22-22.
Ivano Balic scores just before the end, but Solberg did the same, and the match ended 23-23. This means that Croatia will go to the semi-finals of the European Handball Championship, where they will play against France.
posted by Croatia News @ 1/27/2008 04:23:00 AM
