Israel's U20 Handball Team Qualifies for U21 World Championship After Beating Croatia

Israel's under-20 handball team secured a significant achievement by defeating Croatia 36-31 to finish 15th at the European U20 Championship. This victory earned them a spot in the 2027 U21 World Championship in North Macedonia. Despite a challenging start to the tournament, the Israeli team showed resilience and character, overcoming injuries and suspensions to reach their main goal of ranking among Europe's top 15 teams.

The match saw Israel start strong defensively, with goalkeeper Yehonatan Benshtrit making crucial saves that helped Israel take an early 7-4 lead. Croatia recovered to lead 15-11 by halftime, but Israel narrowed the gap to 18-16 early in the second half. Goalkeeper Alon Rotzvi's performance, including a penalty save, helped Israel equalize at 21-21 and then take control of the game.

Key players included Guy Ran Arman, who scored 11 goals, and Loic Baksou with 10 goals, who was also named the game's MVP. Other contributors were Jonathan Pelach with 5 goals, Adi Cohen with 4, and Asaf Sharon and Ben Gross with 2 each. The Israeli team maintained composure despite Croatia's late comeback attempts, ultimately securing the win and the World Championship qualification.

This accomplishment provides the young Israeli squad with the opportunity to compete against the world's best teams next summer, marking a milestone for Israeli handball.