Handball EURO 2018: Croatia Beats Iceland to Stay Unbeaten

Croatia stay unbeaten (Photo: EHF Euro)

Croatia has remained unbeaten at the 2018 EHF European Men’s Handball Championship with a 29:22 victory over Iceland at Spaladium Arena in Split tonight.

Croatia, missing injured captain Domogoj Duvnjak, put in an inspired second-half performance after Iceland gave as good as they got in a close opening 30 minutes.

Once again it was the in-form Luka Cindric who led the Croatians with 4 goals in the first half. He was ably assisted by Igor Karačić (4) and Luka Stepančić (3) as the home side went into the break 14:13 ahead.

The gap could have been more but Gustavsson in the Iceland goal pulled off a number of top saves.

(Photo: EHF Euro)

Croatia came out more urgent in the second half and raced out to a 5 goal advantage for the first time in the match in the 37th minute thanks to an incredible 56% save rate from Ivan Stevanovic.

Cindric, and clinical finishing from Manuel Strlek, Marko Mamic, and Stepančić meant Croatia would extend their lead further to put the match out of reach for Iceland.

(EHF Euro)

The 2018 EHF European Men’s Handball Championship is being held in Zagreb, Split, Varaždin, and Poreč with the final being played in Zagreb on 28 January 2018.

Croatia’s remaining group match is against Sweden on Tuesday in Split.

🇭🇷 Croatian centre back Igor Karacic made this beautiful counterattack by himself against Iceland. Raising the score for Croatia in Group B preliminary rounds. @HSI_Iceland @HRStwitt #hypnoticgame #ehfeuro2018 #ISLCRO pic.twitter.com/wx0vcpXzzZ

— EHF EURO (@EHFEURO) January 14, 2018