July 1, 2021 - Croatia moves to the semifinals of the Olympic basketball qualifiers in Split after a dramatic win against Tunisia. 

Croatia opened their Olympic qualifying campaign on Wednesday against Brazil at Spaladium Arena in Split. After three years, Croatia's best basketball player Bojan Bogdanović played an official game in the Croatia jersey again. 

After Brazil topped Croatia in their first game of the Olympic basketball qualifiers in Split on Wednesday (94:67), Croatia and Tunisia met on Thursday. The winner of the game would go to the semifinals. 

1st quarter

Bogdanović opened the scoring for Croatia with a 2pt fadeaway jump shot for 2:3. Bogdanović made two free throws to make it 4:5. Hezonja made 2/2 free throws for 5:5. 

Croatia took the lead at 7:5 thanks to a Hezonja dunk, and a layup seconds later made it 12:5! Hezonja was on fire. Tunisia called a timeout.

Ante Žižić nailed two free throws for 14:8. Hezonja scored his 10th point of the game for 16:8 with 2:27 to go. Žižić made a 2pt layup for 18:10. A Bilan dunk ended the 1st quarter 20:11.

2nd quarter 

Jordano scored a 2pt driving layup for 22:14 at the start of the 2nd quarter. Bilan nailed two free throws for 24:16. A layup and free throw by Bilan brought Croatia to 27:16 before Bogdanović made it 29:16 with 6 minutes to go. 

Žižić scored his 5th basket thanks to a free throw for the +10  Croatia lead (30:20). A Žižić dunk made it 32:20 and a free throw 33:22. 

Hezonja recorded his 13th point with a stunning 3-pointer for 36:22. Žižić was unstoppable, too, with a tip-in for 38:25. He scored again for 40:28 with just over a minute to go. Hezonja scored for a +14 lead (42:28) which was the score at the end of the 2nd quarter. 

3rd quarter 

Ukić started the 3rd quarter with a 2pt jump shot, but Tunisia came back to score 6 points for 46:36. Croatia's comfortable lead quickly diminished and they were only up 6 (46:40). Bogdanović nailed a 3-pointer to wake Croatia up for 49:40. Tunisia was only down by 4 with 5 minutes to go - 49:45. 

Hezonja scored a free throw and a 2pt jump shot for 52:47. Croatia was only up by 2 points with 2 minutes to go - 52:50. Hezonja scored for +4 (54:50). A shocking display by Croatia saw Tunisia take the lead thanks to a 3-pointer for 56:57 to end the 3rd quarter.

4th quarter

After a dramatic start to the final quarter, Bogdanvić scored a 3-pointer to put Croatia back in the lead by 2 (59:57). A tip-in by Marčinković made it 61:57.

Žižić dunked for 63:59 and Tunisia called a timeout. Hezonja scored for 65:62 with 4 minutes to go. 

A foul on Bogdanović saw him make both free throws for +4 Croatia with just under 3 minutes to go. 

Hezonja scored for 69:65 and a Tunisia timeout was called with a minute and a half to go. Croatia was only up by 2 with 38 seconds to go. Marčinković scored a 3-pointer to save the day for 72:67. Ukić then fouled for 3 Tunisia free throws - it was 72:79 with 18 seconds to go. 

With 6 seconds to go, Hezonja scored 1/2 free throws for 73:70. The game ended at 75:70 for Croatia. 

After the group stage, there is a day of rest, and on July 3, the semifinal matches are scheduled. Croatia will play Germany in the semis on Saturday. 

The final match is scheduled for July 4 at 7:30 pm. Only the winner of the tournament will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. Croatia's group crosses over with Germany, Russia, and Mexico.

The Split tournament and the other three hosted by Belgrade, Kaunas, and Victoria in Canada are all scheduled from June 29 to July 4, 2021. 

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March 15, 2021 - There will be no Olympic Games for Croatia handball in Tokyo this summer for the first time since 2000. With Portugal's win against France on Sunday, Croatia failed to qualify for the Games. 

Croatia was left without the Olympic Games this summer in Tokyo after the qualifying tournament in Montpellier came to an end. This means that Croatia will not participate in the Olympic Games for the first time in the last 21 years. This last happened to Croatia in 2000 when they missed the Sydney Games.

Croatia, unfortunately, did not only rely on themselves to qualify for the Games. Even after beating Tunisia on Sunday, they had to wait for the result between France and Portugal.

The one scenario that would keep Croatia out of the Games unraveled and Portugal celebrated in a dramatic match against France with a score of 29:28. With this victory, France and Portugal qualify for the Olympic Games. 

Croatia would have secured a spot in Tokyo with France's victory against Portugal and a draw. If France lost by up to seven points, Portugal and Croatia would have gone to the Games.

France will advance from qualifying group 2, Norway and Brazil from group 1, and Sweden and Germany from group 3.

Japan as the host, Denmark as the 2019 world champion, Spain as the current European champion, Egypt as the African champions, Argentina as the Pan-American champions, and Bahrain as the winner of the Asian qualifiers have already secured their place in Tokyo this summer. 

The handball tournament groups at the Olympic Games in Tokyo are also known.

The four best national teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games.

Olympic Groups
Group 1: Denmark, Spain, Argentina, France, Sweden, Brazil

Group 2: Egypt, Bahrain, Japan, Portugal, Germany, Norway

Source: Index.hr

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March 14, 2021 - Croatia tops Tunisia in their final Olympic qualifying match in Montpellier, France on Sunday, though they will not participate in the Olympics this summer as Portugal ultimately beat France. 

Croatia and Tunisia met in Montpellier for the final game of the Olympic qualifiers on Sunday evening. 

After a thrilling match and an incredible victory against Portugal, Hrvoje Horvat's Croatia played against an opponent who had very little chance of qualifying for Tokyo. Recall, France beat Tunisia 40:29 and Portugal 34:27. While a victory was necessary for Croatia to go to Tokyo, they do not depend only on themselves. In order to qualify for the Olympic Games, Croatia must beat Tunisia, and then wait for the outcome of the match between France and Portugal. 

Croatia qualifies for Tokyo with France's victory against Portugal (then Portugal is eliminated). If Portugal wins, Croatia is out. 

Croatia v. Tunisia Recap

Horvat scored for 1:0 in the 3rd minute to open the scoring for Croatia, and Musa scored for 2:0 seconds later. 

By the 4th minute, Sego had 3 saves on three attacking plays. 

Horvat scored from 7 meters for 3:1 in the 5th minute. Horvat scored again for 4:1 in the 8th minute. 

Tunisia took the lead in the 12th minute for 4:5 and scored again for 4:6 in the 13th minute. 

Pavlovic scored for 5:6 in the 14th minute. Cindric equalized for 6:6 in the 15th.

Horvat scored for 7:7 in the 16th. Tunisia led by 2 goals in the 19th - 7:9. 

Horvat scored from 7 meters for 9:9 in the 21st minute.  

Pesic saved Tunisia's 7-meter throw to keep the score even. 

Mandic put Croatia back in the lead moments later for 10:9 in the 22nd. Maric scored for 11:9 two minutes later. 

Mandic made it +3 with five minutes to go in the first half. Tunisia equalized at 12:12 with a minute to go in the first half. Maric scored for 13:12 with 20 seconds to go, and again for 14:13 to end the first half.

Horvat scored his 6th goal of the match for 15:13 to open the second half. Mandic made it +3 for 16:13 one minute later and 17:13, Croatia's biggest lead of the match, in the 33rd. 

Horvat scored for 18:14 in the 35th and Mandic for 19:14 a minute later. 

Duvnjak scored for 20:14 in the 37th for +6! Cindric made it 21:15 in the 39th and Mandic for 22:15. 

Duvnjak scored for 23:17 in the 42nd minute and Mandic against for 24:17 with just over 15 minutes to go. 

Cupic made it 25:18 with 12 to go. It was 27:20 with 9 minutes to go. 

Pavlovic made it +4 with less than five minutes to go - 28:24, and Maric made it 29:25 with minutes left. 

It was 30:25 for Croatia in the final two minutes. 

The match ended at 30:27 for Croatia! 

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June 11, 2019 - The Croatia national team defeated Wales on Saturday in Osijek for their third Euro 2020 qualifier. Croatia's win against Wales brought peace to Zlatko Dalić in front of the new challenges awaiting his team in September in Slovakia and Azerbaijan.

But before the team goes their separate ways for the summer, Modrić and Co. had one last appearance in Varaždin for a friendly against Tunisia. It was a game that saw 8,000 fans and all ticket sales go to charity, and one that tested out some new football rules. It was also good preparation for Tunisia before they play in the Africa Cup of Nations later this month. 

Dalić came out with a different lineup than against Wales and made sure to give his reserves a chance against Tunisia. Namely, Dalić started with Sluga in goal, Benković, Lovren and Vida in the back, Melnjak, Kovačić, Badelj, Pašalić, and Brekalo across the midfield, and Petković and Kramarić up top. 

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? #Croatia starting lineup! ?#BeProud #CROTUN #Vatreni pic.twitter.com/Ayre5EFlcd

— HNS (@HNS_CFF) June 11, 2019

It took a while for this Croatia side to get their bearings, and the first half as a whole was pretty shaky - Tunisia was actually the first to score in the 16th minute thanks to a goal by Badri!

While Croatia had a few chances in the first half, the game went into halftime with Tunisia in the lead. 

At the start of the second half, Dalić made his first change - namely, Lovren was substituted for Bartolec. Just one minute later, Croatia equalized thanks to Bruno Petković’s first goal for the Croatia national team. It was 1:1 in the 47th minute. 

In the 55th minute, Dalić made two more changes - Kovačić and Badelj came out for Perišić and Brozović. Minutes later, Brekalo came out for Halilović, and Kramarić came out for Caktaš. 

Croatia was unlucky in the 69th minute after the ball hit Vida’s hand in the box for a Tunisia penalty, which Sliti scored for 1:2. 

It was time for Dalić to bring in the big guns, and Luka Modrić came in for Pašalić right after Tunisia retook the lead.

Croatia attacked and had a few chances to score, though a burst of heavy rain and wind hit Varaždin, making it hard for either team to play much in the last 10 minutes. 

While Croatia put on the pressure, Tunisia was able to defend - and the weird weather helped no one. The game ended 1:2 for Tunisia.

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