Croatia Keep Semi-Final Dream Alive with Win vs Switzerland
Croatia’s handball team recorded a hugely important 28:24 win over Switzerland in the second round of the EHF EURO 2026 Main Round. With that victory, the reigning world silver medalists moved to four points and joined Iceland, Slovenia and Sweden at the top of the group, meaning the fight for a semi-final place will be decided in the final two rounds.
The match started in the worst possible way for Croatia. They went almost ten minutes without finding the net, which Switzerland used to build an early 4:0 lead. However, that deficit proved to be Croatia’s biggest of the game. As the half progressed, Croatia settled down, tightened up defensively and turned the momentum around. From trailing 3:6, they surged into a 9:7 advantage and went into the break in front, 13:11.
Croatia were in full control after the restart. Their lead gradually increased, and midway through the second half—after a goal from Zlatko Raužan—the margin reached a maximum of five goals in the 42nd minute. A brief Swiss spell, capped by a penalty to close the gap to 22:24, brought a hint of tension, but Croatia responded immediately with a 3:0 run to put the result beyond doubt.
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Zvonimir Srna led Croatia’s scoring with five goals, while Filip Glavaš, Ivan Martinović and Tin Lučin added four each. Goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanović was named Player of the Match after making seven saves. For Switzerland, Samuel Zehnder scored six and Luka Maroš added five.
Switzerland – Croatia 24:28 (11:13)
Switzerland: Portner (3 saves, 1 goal), Seravalli (4 saves); Meister, Rubin, M. Zehnder 3, Aellen, Röthlisberger, Kusio 2, Maroš 5, Steenaerts 2, Laube 2, Sigrist 2, S. Zehnder 6, Willecke, Leopold, Ben Romdhane 1
Croatia: Kuzmanović (7 saves), Slavić (1/1 saved 7m); Šoštarić 2, Klarica 2, Srna 5, Maraš, Raužan 1, Mamić, Cindrić 1, Mandić 3, Lučin 3, Martinović 5, Sušnja, Glavaš 4, Jelinić 1, Načinović 1
