Croatia Beats Hungary 25-18

Croatia beat Hungary 25-18, in the fifth game at the World handball Championship. Lackovic and Jerkovic led the unbeatable Croats.

In the SAP arena in Mennheim gathered fewer supporters than yesterday. 9,000 viewers watched an almost balanced start. The Hungarians started each game very furiously, at the beginning of the game with the Czech they led with 7-0, but Croatia was tougher than that.

In their first attack, the Hungarians were successful, but then to the scene came Dragan Jerkovic. He defended high percentage shot to the highest player at the world championship, Nagy (209 cm) and then he continued with his brilliant defence. The opening was full of mistakes and the game was uneven. Until the eighth minute, the score was even, 3-3 and then the Croats struck an advantage of two goals. The Hungarians missed two seven-meter line goals at that period.

Finally, Lackovic got his game and with his indefensible quick shots scores, as only he could do. He became the best Croatian player in the first part with four scores. In the 14^th minute Pero Metlicic, the captain got his first world championship exclusion ever. The Hungarians soon came to the even scores, 6-6. After that, Croatia furiously started and in the 21^st minute Dzomba lobes from seven-meter line into the goal, to a +3. The Hungarian coach was forced to call a time-out. The Hungarians missed a lot in the first part. They even missed three seven-meter line goals.

Two minutes before the end, the Hungarians got their first exclusion, and the Croatian coach called for a time-out. A minute before end we came to a +4, 12-8 as it was at the half-time. The rhythm of the game was very slow and Jerkovic with his ten defences lifted up our passive and dense defence.

Our aggressive line up of the team starts the second part, but Vori does an offence in the first attack. The Hungarians got the goal from the seven-meter line. It was the 100^th goal that Croatia received in five games at the world championship. Balic is a still unsolved mystery for them and in the 34^th minute the Hungarians got double exclusion after Ilyes had hit the best player in the world in the face. Due to that injury, Balic had to leave the game.

Unfortunately, the Croats did not take the advantage of two players more, and in the 37^th minute the result was 14-11. The game with lost chances still goes on. After few technical fouls from both sides, Lackovic rises again and scores his fifth goal. In spite all these mistakes, the Hungarians come to 15-13 in the 39^th minute, but Sulic’s first score at the game gives us a lift. Relaxation was very dangerous for the Croats and the game starts to complicate. Two Slovenian referees grant us few balls and the Hungarians cannot get more than a -2 in the 44^th minute. Mistakes come one after another and their goalkeeper Frazekas was brilliant with nine defences.

Kaleb in two quick counter-attacks in the 48^th minute rose to 19-15. Ten minutes before the end, we got +5 for the first time with Zrnic’s first score at the game, the 15^th at the championship. Finally, we moved on because in the next attack Vukovic hit for 21-15. The exhibition of the cowboys starts with fantastic Zrnic and Valcic’s assistance, 22-15. In the last five minutes, our players started to show fatigue, and Cervar decided to give Barlic a break until the end of the game. In the 28^th minute, Croatia comes to 24-17, and Vukic with his first score a minute before the end reaches +7. Jerkovic became mad at the end of the game, got 17 defences and the last Hungarian attempt he blocked with head, the final score was 25-18.

Lackovic was the best shooter with six scores out of eight attempts, while Kaleb, Sulic, Balic and Vukovic got three scores. The final impression was that the game was not very good, but our players played just as it was needed.

Croatian handball players play against Checks on Saturday at 16.15 hours.

Blazenko Lackovic: -We got Hungary in spite of our fatigue, which comes slowly. It is obvious that Balic, Metlicic and Vori are very tired so Lino made a wise decision to send  them to rest. Finally, I got started and so did the goalkeeper Jerkovic. I think that we finished that discussion. It may seem that it was an easy victory, but it was not. You never know when the rate of the game will drop. We got them with a wise play and all the compliments to Denis Spoljaric, the minister of the defence. He played fantastically in the defence and he got Gula in his pocket. We watched the Checks a bit today and they are an unpleasant team. We are a bit surprised by their entering into the second round. Their chances are very slim, but we must not relax. Two more games and we are in quarters.

Davor Dominikovic: -I am ready to help the time right from the next game. I practiced a bit, I am relaxed and I want to play. These guys are the best gang, they do well in the defence as well as in the offence, even without me.