Romania secures a thrilling victory over Croatia in handball match

Romania triumphed over Croatia with a score of 34-32 in a gripping handball match held on Friday evening in Zagreb. This victory marks an important step for the Romanian team as they prepare for the upcoming Women's European Handball Championship in 2026.

For most of the game, Romania maintained a commanding lead, at one point stretching the advantage to five goals, with a score of 24-19 in the 40th minute and 25-20 shortly after in the 42nd minute. However, Croatia made a strong comeback, equalizing the score at 31-31 with just three minutes left on the clock.

In a decisive moment, Romania scored two consecutive goals through Kerekes and Popa, sealing the victory. Cristina Laslo and Mihaela Andreea Mihai were standout performers, each contributing six goals to the team's success.

Other notable scorers included Sorina Maria Grozav and Lorena Gabriela Ostase, each netting three goals, while Mariam Nadia Mohamed, Ioana Rebeca Necula, Alisia Lorena Boiciuc, Elena Roșu, Eva Kerekes, and Andreea Cristina Popa each contributed two goals to the tally. Goalkeeper Yuliya Dumanska had an impressive performance with nine saves, ensuring Romania's defense held strong against Croatia's attacks.

Dejana Milosavljevic was a key player for Croatia, scoring nine goals, with Stela Posavec and Klara Birtic also adding six and four goals, respectively. The two teams are set to face off again on Saturday at 15:00 in Prelog, providing Romania with another opportunity to refine their skills ahead of the European Championship.

The 2026 Women's European Handball Championship will be hosted by Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Turkey, making it the first time the competition has been held in five countries. Romania is placed in Group B alongside Norway, Switzerland, and North Macedonia, with matches scheduled at BTarena in Cluj-Napoca.

Romania will kick off their championship journey on December 4 against Norway, followed by encounters with North Macedonia on December 6 and Switzerland on December 8. The top two teams from each of the six groups will advance to the main round, adding to the excitement of the upcoming tournament.