Croatia edges Iceland 30:29 at European Handball Championships

Croatia bounced back from Wednesday’s tough loss to Sweden with a narrow 30:29 victory over Iceland today in the main round of the European Handball Championships in Malmo.

Mateo Maraš led the Croatian team with seven goals.

Coach Dagur Sigurdsson acknowledged the challenge of playing with only one day of rest after the Sweden match but praised his team for their energy and determination. “I am extremely proud of them and happy,” he said.

Croatia held the lead for most of the game, at times by four points, but went into the final five minutes with just a one-goal advantage. In a dramatic finish, the Croatian players secured crucial points.

However, the victory came with a setback as Ivan Martinović suffered an ankle injury. He left the game and did not return. An MRI scheduled for Saturday will determine whether he can continue in the tournament.

Croatia will face Switzerland next on Sunday at 8:30 p.m.