Yekaterinburg, Russia: Croatia edged out Qatar 25-24 to record their maiden win at the 2015 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in a thrilling Group C match, in Yekaterinburg, yesterday.
There was a lot at stake and the game between the two very different, but fairly well-matched, teams reflected that. From the start it was close, but Croatia held a slight edge, leading more often than Qatar throughout the first half.
After 15 minutes the Balkan team were in front by two, but Qatar kept coming back. After 23 minutes, when the score was equal (10:10), Qatar brought goalkeeper Bilal Lepenica on in place of Ahmed Abdelrhem for his first real court time of the championship.
Croatia welcomed him with a fast break goal from David Mandic just a minute later (11:10, 24th minute), and retained the one-goal advantage created there into the half-time break.
The second half was just as up and down as the first. Croatia’s Petar Medic put his side in front with a strong ground shot in the 36th minute before right wing Ivan Martinovic took them two goals ahead (18:16, 37th minute). But then it was Qatar’s turn – they levelled the score before right back Abdulaziz Helali created a one-goal advantage with a penalty goal in the 41st minute (18:19).
The one-for-one game continued as the clock ticked on. In the 25th minute Qatar left wing Mohamed Abdelraouf missed a penalty shot that kept the score at 24:24. Left wing Marin Jelinic then scored the crucial goal that gave Croatia the lead and Spikic made a save to retain the advantage in the 29th minute (25:24).
Abdelrhem came back onto the court and saved a Jelinic penalty shot with a minute left on the clock, but Jelinic had already won the match with his previous goal.
Croatia took their first two points and now look to their final game against Algeria, another must-win match that could put them through to the Eighth-Finals yet.
Meanwhile, Switzerland recorded their third win, against Algeria, adding another two points to their tally that put them through to the Eighth-Finals.
Algeria needed two points to keep their Eighth-Finals hopes alive, and they made it clear they were willing to do whatever it took to secure them.
The African team started with man-on-man defence, making the game at their end of the court very messy as Switzerland struggled to find a way through.
Switzerland were also keeping Algeria off the board, though their trouble was the tall, solid 6-0 wall they faced. Right back Abdi Ayyoub scored the first goal of the game in the fifth minute, followed soon after by a breakthrough from Florian Leitner at the other end.
The defence from both teams made for a low-scoring opening, though Algeria dropped back to a slightly less active 3:3 system.
Midway through the half the score was level at 4:4. Algeria were playing Rassa Nadher in goal for the first time in the championship, with their usual player between the posts, Ghedbane Khalifa, coming in to save a penalty that kept the score at 6:6 with eight minutes left in the first period.
But then Switzerland began to take control, with a goal from star left back Albin Alili (nine goals) putting them two in front as the half neared its end (9:7, 28th minute). Alili scored 15 metres out from the goal in the last seconds to give Switzerland an advantage at the break. At the 40-minute mark Switzerland retained their lead (19:17), and though Algeria were in hot pursuit, the European team began to increase the score line.
When they were still ahead by four goals as the last quarter of the match began (22:18), it looked as though Switzerland would comfortably record their third victory. Julian Klaiber scored the final goal, again in the dying seconds of the half from well outside the nine-metre line, to seal Switzerland’s nine-goal win.
With six points from three victories, Switzerland are now through to the Eighth-Finals regardless of the result in their final match. The other match of the day ended in a draw that meant Russia and Denmark split the points
Last time these teams met Denmark came out on top – way on top, with a 17-goal win – but coach Morten Henriksen knew they were coming up against a tougher opponent, who he said were looking a lot better since the European Championship and had the support of a home crowd behind them.
THE PENINSULA
