Croatia and Norway met for the second game of Group I of the European Handball Championship on January 20, 2018.
At 20:30 local time, Croatia and Norway met for the second game of the second round of the European Handball Championship in Zagreb. Croatia and Norway have played 13 games against each other until this evening, which saw Croatia secure seven wins, four defeats, and two draws. Tonight was Croatia’s fifth game of Euros thus far.
After barely defeating Belarus on Thursday night, it was pertinent that Croatia secured another win in Group I to strengthen their chances of advancing further in the competition. In front of 14,000 supporters at Zagreb Arena, Croatia did just that.
Croatia started the game strong, securing two points by Musa and Štrlek by the 2nd minute. Norway did not score their first goal until three and a half minutes into the game, and it was Sagosen to score Norway’s first point.
In the sixth minute, Croatia led the game 3:2, and by the 8th minute, Croatia’s Marić brought the lead to 5:3. By the 14th minute, Čupić and Stepančić helped bring the score to 8:5.
In the 18th minute, Croatia coach Lino Červar called for a timeout as Croatia’s lead on Norway closed to 10:8. Croatia was, however, maintaining control of the game.
By the 23rd minute, the coach of Norway Christian Berge was forced to call his side’s first timeout after Croatia led by 3 points for 13:10. The atmosphere in Zagreb was the extra player Croatia needed to keep their momentum.
Just before half-time, in the 29th minute, the game became too close for comfort as Norway’s Bjornsen hits a goal from 7 meters to bring Norway only one point behind Croatia (15:14). At halftime, the game was 17:15 for Croatia.
Croatia held their own at the start of the second half, and five minutes in, Čupić scored for 20:18. In the 39th minute, it was Čupić again with a 7-meter shot to bring Croatia’s lead to 22:19. Though Norway had a chance to close the gap, it was Stevanović who brilliantly denied the visiting side time and time again. In the 40th minute, Croatia led 23:20.
In a crisis, Norway called their second timeout in the 44th minute after Croatia strengthened their lead to 24:20. In the 45th minute, Sagosen decreased Croatia’s lead to 24:21, but it was Marić who returned the hosts to +4.
In the 48th minute, Croatia led 28:24 though they were playing with two men down from two-minute ejections. Fortunately, it was Štrlek to save the day for the diminished Croatia team to give them a +5 lead (29:24) in the 49th minute.
Though Cindrić scored for 30:26 in the 51st minute, the visiting team was able to decrease Croatia's lead in the 53rd minute to 31:28.
In the 54th minute, Croatia called their second timeout, which led to Horvat scoring for Croatia for 32:28. Stevanović continued defending flawlessly for Croatia.
With just a minute and a half left, Croatia led 32:28 - Stevanović continued to be Croatia’s hero as the crowd screamed ‘Stivi, Stivi!”
In the final minute of the match, Norway saw no luck. Croatia secured the victory with 32:28!
