Czech Republic vs Saudi Arabia, 2023 IHF MEN’S JUNIOR (U19) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, Koprivnica, Croatia, 10.08.2023, Mandatory Credit © IHF / HRS / kolektiff
Eight teams that were unlucky and did not qualify for medals continued the competition in Koprivnica. These are the teams that won the 3rd and 4th place in the Main groups, that is, the second round. Of the 8 national teams, five are European, two Asian and one South American. The day went like this:
CZECH REPUBLIC – SAUDI ARABIA 36:33
A lot of goals were seen in the match between the Czech Republic and Saudi Arabia. The team from Asia started the match more confidently. And led the first ten minutes. Then came the stage where the game was played goal by goal. Who knows how the first half would have ended if the Saudis had not been without Maitham Abusarer, who received a straight red card. And he is one of the most important players of that national team. This is how the Czech Republic created a 4-goal lead by halftime (19:15). In the second half, the game was played almost without defenses. The first tie in that period was recorded at a score of 23:23. Then two more followed. From the 51st minute, everything went to the mill of the Czech Republic. They had a streak of 6:4 in that part, which led them to the final 36:33. Filip Matouš with 11 goals was by far the best in the Czech ranks. Hussain Furai scored 9 goals for the opponent.
HUNGARY – NORTH MACEDONIA 20:22
Hungary and North Macedonia played a very interesting match. And it ended with the smallest margin of the entire handball day of the 10th World Championship. The start belonged to the Macedonians. Then the Hungarian light cavalry responded. They had a three-goal advantage for a long time, but Macedonia scored three goals in a row, so the score was tied at halftime (13:13). The rhythm from the end of the first part was carried over by the Macedonian team in the sequel. Thus, in the 12th minute before the end, they had plus four (21:17). The Hungarians did not surrender. Now they managed to score three goals in a row and come to minus one. But not further than that. In the last minute, the Macedonians managed to score once more and register a great and important victory 22:20. Mate Huba Czabul was the best in the Hungarian team with 5 goals. Mirche Kalajdjieski and Aleksandar Petkovski scored five goals each for the Macedonians.
This is how North Macedonia achieved their best result at the World Championships. They will play against the Czech Republic for the 9th and 10th place. Hungary will fight with Saudi Arabia for the 11th/12th place.
BRAZIL – IRAN 30:24
The day in Koprivnica was opened by Brazil and Iran. Brazil achieved two victories in the first round, Iran finished that round of the competition undefeated, with two wins and a draw with Sweden. The Brazilians seem to have preserved more freshness for the final days of the World Championship. And they dominated the entire match. At the break, they had a 4-goal advantage (15:11). At the beginning of the second part, they increased it by 5, went to a big 20:11, and routinely did the job until the end and stayed in the race for 13th place. Brazil was led to victory by goalkeeper Maia Guilherme Candido, who had 14 saves, and Mikeal Lopes Candido, who scored 7 goals. The best Iranian was Amirhossein Karami with 9 goals.
SLOVENIA – AUSTRIA 25:28
After two defeats in the second round, Austria beat Slovenia and at least healed their wounds a little bit. The Slovenians only had an initial lead of 1:0, and the rest of the time they were behind. How weak and listless they were is best evidenced by the fact that in the 22nd minute they trailed by as many as 8 goals (5:13), but they are still not that much weaker than Austria. At halftime it was plus four for the Austrians. It was an achievable result. But this was not Slovenia’s day. Austria remained firm, aggressive with the genius goalkeeper Theodor Leon Bergmann, who saved 23 balls, which is the record of this Championship, and led his country to a great victory. As usual, Nejc Hriberšek was the best for Slovenia with 6 goals.
Austria will thus play with Brazil for 13th/14th place and it will be their best placement at the World Championships, while Slovenia will face Iran for 15th/16th place.
