Although Finland were expected to provide a more demanding challenge than Lithuania, Croatia demonstrated their superiority through effective defending, rapid transitions and outstanding goalkeeping. Sigurðsson's players established a seven-goal advantage before half-time and maintained control throughout the second period, eventually extending their lead to double figures.
The result was especially encouraging because Croatia travelled without several important players. Filip Glavaš and Veron Načinović were rested because of minor injuries, while David Mandić and Matko Moslavac had already missed the international gathering. Despite those absences, the squad demonstrated sufficient depth to produce a convincing victory and collect the maximum four points available from the opening two fixtures.
For Sigurðsson, the performance provided reassurance about the team's competitive level. Nevertheless, the Icelandic coach acknowledged that some technical mistakes remained and stressed that completing the international window without any new serious injuries was particularly important ahead of the World Championship in Germany.
Croatia Set the Tempo From the Opening Minutes
Croatia began the encounter with the determination expected of a team that had scored 46 goals in its previous qualification match. Marin Jelinić, Mario Šoštarić and Marin Šipić converted three early fast breaks, giving the visitors a 3–0 advantage before Finland had settled into the contest.
The hosts required almost five minutes to score their first goal, with Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanović producing important saves during the opening stages. Finland gradually improved, however, and reduced the deficit to 5–4 after ten minutes, briefly suggesting that they could produce a more competitive encounter.
Croatia responded through stronger defensive organisation and more effective attacking movement. Šipić was particularly influential near the six-metre line, while captain Ivan Martinović continued creating opportunities from the backcourt.
Kuzmanović's performance provided the foundation for Croatia's growing advantage. The goalkeeper recorded six saves during the opening twelve minutes, frustrating Finland's attackers and creating opportunities for his teammates to score through fast transitions.
By the 18th minute, Croatia had established a 13–7 lead, prompting Finnish coach Ola Lindgren to request a timeout. The visitors continued to demonstrate greater attacking efficiency and maintained a comfortable advantage for much of the half.
Finland briefly responded during the closing stages, taking advantage of Croatian technical errors to reduce the score to 16–12. However, Sigurðsson's players quickly restored control, scoring three unanswered goals to enter the interval leading 19–12.
The statistics reflected Croatia's superiority. The visitors converted approximately 73% of their first-half attempts, compared with Finland's 41%, while Kuzmanović had already accumulated ten saves. His contribution allowed Croatia to establish a decisive advantage despite several errors during the latter stages of the half.
Defensive Adjustments Help Croatia Pull Away
Sigurðsson introduced several tactical adjustments after the interval, including a change from Croatia's initial 6–0 defensive formation to a more aggressive 5–1 system. Marko Mamić moved into an advanced defensive position, increasing pressure on Finland's backcourt and disrupting their attacking rhythm.
The adjustment proved effective. Finland struggled to find clear shooting opportunities against the new defensive structure, while Croatia continued exploiting turnovers and missed chances through quick counterattacks.
Matej Mandić replaced Kuzmanović in goal for the second half and maintained the high standard established by his teammate. The goalkeeper produced eight saves, ensuring that Finland could not build the momentum required to reduce the deficit significantly.
Croatia's advantage remained between six and eight goals during much of the early second half, allowing Sigurðsson to introduce additional players and distribute playing time across the squad. Zlatko Raužan, Ivano Pavlović, Mateo Maraš and Petar Šprem all received opportunities as the coach assessed different combinations.
Finland attempted to respond through a seven-against-six attacking formation, introducing an additional outfield player in place of the goalkeeper. However, the approach failed to significantly disrupt Croatia's defensive organisation.
The visitors eventually extended their lead to ten goals in the 49th minute and maintained that advantage until the final whistle. Croatia's ability to control the closing stages reflected the quality of their squad, while Finland struggled to find solutions against a defence that had become increasingly effective after the interval.
The final result of 35–25 confirmed another convincing victory, with Croatia completing their first two qualification matches with an aggregate score of 81–53.
For Sigurðsson, the performance also demonstrated the value of tactical flexibility. The successful transition between defensive systems provided an opportunity to test alternatives that may become important against stronger international opponents.
Šoštarić Leads a Balanced Croatian Attack
Mario Šoštarić finished as Croatia's leading scorer with seven goals, delivering another reliable performance from the right wing. His finishing and movement were particularly important during Croatia's fast breaks, allowing the visitors to convert defensive stops into quick scoring opportunities.
Tin Lučin added six goals from eight attempts, providing an effective attacking option from the backcourt. His performance demonstrated the value of having multiple players capable of taking responsibility for scoring, particularly when opponents concentrate their defensive efforts on captain Ivan Martinović.
Marin Šipić contributed five goals, continuing his excellent international form. His presence near the six-metre line created problems for Finland's defenders, while his movement also helped generate space for Croatia's backcourt players.
Martinović finished with four goals, while Marin Jelinić and Leon Ljevar added three each. Mateo Maraš and Zlatko Raužan scored twice, with Zvonimir Srna, Petar Šprem and Leon Šušnja also contributing.
The distribution of goals was an encouraging feature for Croatia, illustrating that the team did not depend excessively on one player. After Martinović had scored ten times against Lithuania, the attacking responsibility was shared more widely against Finland.
The goalkeepers were equally important. Kuzmanović recorded ten saves during the first half, while Mandić added eight after the interval, giving Croatia a combined 18 saves.
For Finland, Sebastian Säkkinen finished as the leading scorer with five goals, while Benjamin Helander and Miska Henriksson contributed four each. Goalkeeper Mikael Mäkelä registered 13 saves but could not prevent Croatia from controlling the match.
The collective performance reflected Croatia's combination of experienced internationals and emerging players, providing further evidence of the squad's attacking depth ahead of more demanding competitions.
Sigurðsson Pleased With Results but Warns About Mistakes
Despite the comfortable victory, Dagur Sigurðsson was not completely satisfied with every aspect of Croatia's performance. The Icelandic coach praised the team's attitude and confirmed that the squad had achieved its objectives during the opening qualification window, but he also identified unnecessary technical mistakes as an area requiring improvement.
Those errors were particularly noticeable towards the end of the first half, when Finland briefly reduced Croatia's advantage by capitalising on misplaced passes and attacking turnovers. Although the visitors quickly regained control, similar mistakes could prove more costly against stronger international opponents.
Sigurðsson nevertheless considered the overall performance encouraging. With limited preparation time and several players unavailable, Croatia had secured two convincing victories while providing opportunities for younger members of the squad.
The coach placed particular importance on player fitness. With the World Championship approaching, he was relieved that the match had ended without any new serious injuries, allowing the squad to return to club duties in good condition.
Mario Šoštarić shared that assessment, expressing satisfaction with Croatia's two victories and the effectiveness of their defensive approach. The winger highlighted the importance of quick transitions, which allowed the team to create scoring opportunities without relying exclusively on lengthy positional attacks.
Marin Šipić also praised the squad's professional attitude, noting that Croatia had approached Finland seriously despite being considered strong favourites. The line player acknowledged that the team could have performed even better but regarded the ten-goal victory as a positive result.
Both players emphasised the importance of staying healthy before the World Championship, recognising that Croatia's ambitions will depend heavily on having their strongest available squad.
Injury Concerns Become Croatia's Biggest Priority
Although the qualification campaign has begun successfully, the coming weeks will present another important challenge for Croatia's coaching staff. Several players are managing minor physical problems, and the demanding club schedule creates a risk of further injuries before the World Championship.
Glavaš and Načinović were absent from the Finland encounter after experiencing minor problems following the victory against Lithuania. The coaching staff decided not to risk either player, allowing them to return to their clubs for treatment and recovery.
Leon Ljevar also suffered a knock to the head during the Finland match and left the court late in the encounter. Reports indicated that he avoided a more serious injury, providing another welcome development for Sigurðsson.
David Mandić and Matko Moslavac had already missed the international window because of injuries, while other potential squad members continue working towards full fitness. Those situations highlight the importance of careful physical management during the final weeks before the World Championship.
Croatia have enjoyed considerable success at recent major tournaments, winning silver at the 2025 World Championship and bronze at EHF EURO 2026. Maintaining that level will require experienced players to remain available, particularly given the physical demands of competing against Europe's strongest national teams.
The coaching staff will therefore continue monitoring players at club level while preparing for the next international gathering. December's preparations are expected to include friendly matches against Italy and Slovenia, providing an opportunity to assess fitness, refine tactical combinations and determine the final World Championship squad.
World Championship in Germany Is the Next Major Target
The upcoming 2027 Men's IHF World Championship will take place in Germany from January 13 to 31, with Croatia entering the tournament hoping to build on their silver medal at the previous edition.
Sigurðsson's team have been drawn into Group C alongside Spain, Chile and Türkiye. The group-stage matches will take place in Munich, providing Croatian supporters with a relatively accessible destination and the national team with an opportunity to compete in front of a substantial travelling fan base.
Spain are expected to represent Croatia's strongest opponents during the opening stage, while Chile and Türkiye will provide different tactical challenges. The Croatian team will aim to progress with a strong points record before the main round, where the leading sides from Group C will join qualifiers from Group D, which includes France, Argentina, Brazil and Kuwait.
The World Championship will be an important examination of Croatia's development under Sigurðsson. The team's recent medal-winning performances have increased expectations, but competing successfully over several weeks will require both tactical flexibility and a healthy squad.
The convincing victories against Lithuania and Finland have provided encouragement, particularly because Croatia demonstrated their ability to score efficiently, adapt defensive formations and rotate players without substantially reducing their performance level.
However, opponents at the World Championship will present considerably greater challenges. Technical mistakes, defensive lapses and missed opportunities could become decisive in matches against Spain, France or other leading international teams.
For that reason, Sigurðsson's emphasis on avoiding injuries is understandable. Croatia's strongest players will need to be physically prepared, while younger members of the squad must continue gaining experience and developing the confidence to contribute when required.
Netherlands Await When Euro Qualification Resumes
With two victories secured, Croatia can now turn their attention towards the World Championship before resuming the EHF EURO 2028 qualification campaign in the spring.
The next two qualifiers will be played against the Netherlands, who also began the competition with positive results. The Dutch team defeated Finland 34–23 during the opening round, demonstrating their ability to compete effectively and making them Croatia's most significant rivals in the group.
Unlike Lithuania and Finland, the Netherlands possess a squad capable of presenting more demanding attacking and defensive challenges. Their speed, physical strength and ability to score through organised combinations will require Croatia to maintain greater concentration.
The matches will also provide an opportunity to assess Croatia's development following the World Championship. Sigurðsson will have a clearer understanding of his squad's strengths and weaknesses after another major international tournament, allowing him to adapt his selection and tactical approach.
Under the qualifying format, the top two teams from each group advance directly to EHF EURO 2028, alongside the four best third-placed teams across the competition. Croatia's four points from two matches provide a strong starting position, but qualification has not yet been mathematically secured.
The final tournament will be hosted by Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, and Croatia will hope to maintain their consistent presence at major international championships.
Croatia Begin Qualification With Confidence
Croatia's victories against Lithuania and Finland have provided an encouraging start to another important international cycle. Scoring 81 goals across two matches, the national team demonstrated attacking efficiency, squad depth and tactical flexibility, establishing a strong foundation for the remaining qualification fixtures.
The performances also reflected the team's ability to manage different circumstances. Against Lithuania, Croatia produced an extraordinary attacking display that resulted in a national qualifying record of 46 goals. Against Finland, the visitors relied on stronger defensive organisation, effective goalkeeping and greater control during important stages.
Although both opponents were considered less experienced than Croatia, securing convincing victories remains important for maintaining confidence and avoiding unnecessary complications in qualification.
The challenge now shifts towards preparation for the World Championship. Sigurðsson must ensure that his key players remain healthy while continuing to strengthen the tactical structure that has already produced two major international medals.
Croatia's 35–25 victory over Finland confirmed an excellent start to EHF EURO 2028 qualification, with two wins, four points and a commanding aggregate goal difference. Šoštarić, Lučin and Šipić led another balanced attacking performance, while Kuzmanović and Mandić provided outstanding goalkeeping. For Sigurðsson, however, the greatest priority is no longer the convincing results against Lithuania and Finland but ensuring that Croatia arrive at the World Championship in Germany with a healthy, competitive squad capable of challenging for another medal.
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