Croatia's U20 handball team advances to main round after dramatic win

Croatia's U20 handball team has clinched a place in the main round of the European Championship after a thrilling 33-32 victory over Norway. The decisive match, held in Romania, saw Loris Hromin emerge as the undisputed hero, delivering a flawless performance with ten goals from ten attempts, capped by the game-winning shot precisely as the final siren blared.

With just over five minutes remaining, Croatia held a comfortable three-goal lead (32-29) and a man advantage. However, they squandered this lead, allowing Norway to equalize. In the final seconds, with only a draw not enough to advance, Croatia pushed for a win. After a saved shot by Moslavac, Norway lost possession, paving the way for Hromin's dramatic, buzzer-beating goal.

This victory was crucial for Croatia, as a draw would have relegated them to the 13th-24th place playoffs. Instead, they now advance to the main round, where they will compete against Spain and Iceland. Both Spain and Denmark enter this stage with four points, while Croatia and Iceland begin with two.

Matko Moslavac contributed significantly with nine goals, and Leo Branko Sunajko made ten saves in Croatia's victory. Norway's goalkeeper had an impressive 17 saves, and their top scorer, Tobias Mehren Soberg, also netted ten goals. The qualification for the main round is a significant achievement, with the top 15 teams earning a spot in the next year's World Championship.