January 23, 2019 - The Croatia handball team met France for the last game of the main round of the World Championship in Germany and Denmark.

After two defeats in the first two games against Brazil and Germany in the main round, the Croatian ‘Cowboys’ were no longer fighting for a medal in the tournament. 

However, Lino Červar's team still had an end goal in mind at the competition, and that was a place in the qualifications for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. In order to do that, Croatia needed to finish among the top 7 teams at the World Championship - and they needed to beat France. 

Croatia and France, great rivals, met at 6 pm in Cologne. 

Croatia started with the attack in the game, though it didn’t result in a goal. Šego made an incredible save, and Štrlek missed. There was no goal for either side in the first three minutes of the game. 

France ultimately scored for 1:0 at 3:15, though Horvat scored to equalize from a 7-meters throw. France retook the lead in the 5th minute for 2:1. Štrlek scored not long after with a long ball from Šego in the 6th minute. 

France retook the lead in the 8th minute for 3:2. Musa equalized for 3:3 in the 10th.

Horvat finally put Croatia ahead 3:4 just moments before the 11th minute - and then Horvat scored again in an open goal for 3:5 Croatia! 

Musa scored in the 12th minute for 4:6, and the brilliant Horvat lobbed the ball into the goal again for 5:7 in the 15th minute! 

Vranković scored in the 21st minute for 8:10, though France came back for 9:10 moments later. France equalized in the 24th and retook the lead in the 25th for 11:10. 

Croatia and France ended 11:11 at the half. 

Croatia was first to score in the second half with a 7-meters throw by Zlatko Horvat, though France equalized moments later for 12:12. In the 36th minute, it was 13:13. 

A quick Croatia counter-attack gave them the lead for 13:14, and again for 13:15! Duvnjak scored for Croatia’s 16th and Mandić for the 17th. 

Vranković scored int he 47th for 16:18, and Mandić scored for Croatia’s biggest lead yet - 16:19! 

In the 49th minute, Croatia got a throw from 7-meters which Horvat nailed for a new lead - 16:20. 

In the 54th minute, it was 19:21 for Croatia - and in the 56th minute, Štrlek scored for 19:22!

Vida scored in the 59th minute to secure the game. The final score was 20:23 for Croatia and Marin Šego was named the player of the game! 

Croatia has thus secured placement in the qualifications for the 2020 Olympic Games and will fight for the 5th place at the World Championship. 

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