January 19, 2023 - Croatia and Denmark played 32:32 in the first match of the World Handball Championship second round. With this result, Croatia still has a shot at making the quarterfinals. 

Croatia opened the second round of the World Handball Championship brilliantly against the world champion Denmark on Thursday.

This was a key match for Hrvoje Horvat's team, who, after losing to Egypt in the first round, ideally needed to win all three matches in the second round. However, even then, their road to the quarterfinals remains uncertain. 

Denmark finished the first round with three victories. They beat Belgium (43:28), Bahrain (36:21), and Tunisia (34:21). In total, they scored 113 goals and conceded only 70. For the sake of comparison, Croatia scored 98 goals and conceded 77 goals in three matches.

Match recap

Denmark scored the first goal of the game, but Cindrić found the goal in the next attack. Cindrić scored for 2:1 Croatia before Hansen equalized for 2:2. Cindrić made it 3:2. 

Glavaš scored a penalty, then Pytlick scored Denmark's third goal of the match. Jacobsen equalized, and Cindrić scored for 5:4 in the 8th minute. 

Šarac scored for 6:4, and Šipić for 8:7 in the 13th minute. Denmark equalized a minute later. 

Croatia went to +2 in the 16th minute and +3 in the 18th minute - 11:8!

A penalty taken by Glavaš made it 12:4 for Croatia a minute later. Jelinić scored for 13:9 in the 22nd minute. 

Denmark almost came back, but Croatia went back to +2 in the 26th minute - 14:12. 

With two minutes to go in the first half, Croatia was only up by 1. Cindrić scored his 5th goal of the game in the last 40 seconds of the half - 16:14.

The first half ended 16:15 for Croatia. 

Croatia made it 18:16 in the first two minutes of the second half. Denmark equalized two minutes later at 18:18. And again in the 38th minute at 20:20.

It was goal for goal. 

Denmark finally retook the lead in the 41st minute - 22:21. 

Hansen scored a penalty for 24:23 in the 43rd minute. And 26:25 for Denmark with 15 minutes left. 

Šunjić was brilliant in Croatia's goal in the next few minutes to keep it 26:26.

Martinović put Croatia back in the lead for 27:26 in the 49th minute! Denmark equalized in the 50th minute. 

Šunjić saved Croatia from another Denmark lead... and Šipić made it 28:27 in the 52nd! But it was 29:29 with 6 minutes to go. And 30:30 with 5 minutes to go.

Denmark retook the lead with 4 minutes to, and Croatia called a timeout.  

Šipić equalized at 31:31 - 3 minutes were left on the clock. 

Denmark was awarded a penalty with two minutes to go. Hansen scored for 32:31. Karačić scored for 32:32 with 30 seconds left! 

The match ended 32:32. This was a key match in the fight for the World Championship quarterfinals. While Horvat's team played a great game against the current World Champions, they fell a little short of victory. 

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