Croatia tops Germany for handball title

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LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- Croatia won its first men's handball world championship on Sunday, beating Germany 34-31 in the final match.

Croatia, an Olympic titlist in 1996 and a silver medal winner at the 1995 worlds, advanced to the final by beating Spain.

Germany, the European runner-up, is second again.

France, which won the world championship in 2001, finished third this time, beating Spain 27-22.

Olympic champion Russia took fifth after beating Hungary 30-25 and Iceland topped Yugoslavia 32-27 for seventh place and a spot in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Only the top seven teams at the worlds qualify for the Olympics.

Backed by an outstanding display from goalkeeper Vlado Sola, Croatia attacked relentlessly to forge 20-18 ahead at the halfway stage.

But Germany, seeking their third title since 1978, piled on the pressure during the second period to tie the score at 29-all with eight minutes to play.

Despite the late onslaught, Croatia -- whose previous best result was a silver medal at the 1995 world championships -- kept their nerve to secure the win.

"It is always good to have a medal on your chest and we still have the notion that we are going to put forward a great team in the Olympic Games," said French coach Claude Onesta.

Croatians euphoric after handball championship

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) -- Celebratory shots exploded as the Croatian handball team won its first men's world championship on Sunday -- an unexpected but cherished victory.

"Magnificent!" shouted Bozo Susec, a sports commentator of the national TV's third channel, which aired the match live. "Each of them is a handball maestro!"

Croatia beat Germany 34-31 in the championship match, which was played in Portugal.

When the Croatian team, the Olympic titlist in 1996 and a silver medal winner at the 1995 worlds, moved to the finals, most Croats, otherwise largely uninterested in handball, began watching the games.

On Sunday, people hurried home and stayed glued to TV sets. In a shopping mall, crowded on Sundays, people forgot about shopping and stood in front of TV sets, commenting and screaming with joy.

"They're just fantastic!" beamed Ivica Darkic, a 31-year-old computer expert. "No one was paying attention to them, really, and now they gave us this great victory.

"All my respect and love, boys!" he screamed at the TV.

"I'm so proud! Proud, and arrogant, to be Croat at this moment, because their victory was pure and without mistake," said Boris Snajder, 36, a music teacher.

Many braved the cold to go out and celebrate with friends on the streets of Zagreb, the capital.

The top seven teams at the worlds qualify for the 2004 Olympics.

Despite earlier victories, the Croatian handball team never got much attention at home. Croatians worshipped Goran Ivanisevic, last year's Wimbledon champion, ski sensations Janica and Ivica Kostelic and the national soccer team that finished third at the 1998 World Cup in France.

In the past few days, however, nearly everyone became familiar with Vlado Sola, the goalie who dyes his hair red; coach Lino Cervar and the names of the other players. The largest daily, Vecernji list, published their poster for the Monday edition.

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.