![Marin Sipic, who plays for Kriens-Lucerne, scored the decisive goal for Croatia](https://production-livingdocs-bluewin-ch.imgix.net/2025/01/28/ea41a091-ff1c-4a82-a3f1-dfa97e4d557d.jpeg?w=994&auto=format)
Keystone
Co-hosts Croatia are the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Handball Championship.
Coach Dagur Sigurdsson's team beat Hungary 31:30 in the quarter-finals in front of 15,600 enthusiastic spectators in Zagreb after trailing 26:30 in the 55th minute.
Marin Sipic scored the winning goal after a counter-attack practically on the final buzzer. The 28-year-old pivot plays for Kriens-Lucerne. It was his fifth goal of the game. Bendeguz Boka had produced a turnover shortly beforehand.
In the semi-final, the Croatians will face the winner of the match between France and Egypt.