România U21 secures spot at the Under-21 World Championship

România U21 has achieved a remarkable feat by qualifying for the Under-21 World Championship. This achievement comes on the heels of an exciting victory against Croatia, where the Romanian team triumphed with a score of 31-29 in a thrilling match on July 17, 2026, held in Turda.

The match was part of the placement round for positions 13-16 at the M20 EHF EURO 2026, which is being hosted in Romania. The Romanian team showcased an impressive performance, maintaining a lead throughout the game, even stretching it to five goals at one point (20-15).

Key players made significant contributions to the victory. Codrin Dascălu led the scoring with 8 goals, while Teodor Iluca added 7 goals to the tally. Emanuel Şerban, Ianis Alexandru Chiruţ, Eduard Rusu, Andrei Florin Negrilă, and Florin Alexandru Puşcaş Ilisei also contributed with goals, demonstrating a strong team effort.

In goal, Răzvan Rîpă had a standout performance with 13 saves, achieving a save percentage of 34.21%. On the opposing side, Croatia's Matko Moslavac scored 11 goals, and Matej Alexander Simicic added 5 goals.

Looking ahead, Romania is set to compete for positions 13-14 against Iceland on Sunday, July 19. This next match will be crucial as the top 15 teams from the M20 EHF EURO 2026 will secure their places at the Under-21 World Championship next year.