Zagreb wins thriller in Novi Sad

Zagrebu odlično rukometno veče u Novom Sadu

vojvodina zagreb

Croatian champion RK C.O Zagreb win exciting handbal thriller against Vojvodina in Novi Sad - 29:27 (14:12). Team coached by Boris Dvoršek was in lead whole 60 minutes, but home team was in the game until the last minute. Serbian best team keep the hope about a victory ove big rival until the last attack of the clash. Match winner was Zagreb's left back Stipe Mandalinic, who set the final result 35 seconds until the end, just after time-out of his team.

Poor ofensive performance of home team gave a chance to Croatian team to score easily at the beginning of the match - 0:4, when Vojvodina's coach Momir Rnic had to call time out after only three minutes of the match. Outstanding first half of home goalkepeer Miroslav Kocic gave a new energy to the home team who made smaller distance to the rival - 3:5 and 7:9, which was the difference at the half-time also with also good playmaker Saša Marijanac..

Zagreb's playmaker Josip Valcic began second half with a goal series, which was continued by youngstar Stipe Mandalinic who scored all 6 goals in the last 20 minutes of the match. Momir Rnic produced a maximum level of performance of his backline in which right back Milan Mirkovic and left back Milos Barisic were precise at the end.

Barisic scored for 22:23 at 50th minute, what was an intro for exciting last 10 minutes in which Vojvodina was always on  -1 or -2. Dusan Sipka scored a goal for 27:28 60 seconds until the end, but Stipe Mandalinic broke all dreams of home team in the next attack...


Boris Dvoršek (CO Zagreb, coach): It was an interesting match. I am satisfied that we won tonight. This was our fourth match in 10 days, so it was clear that we are tired. We deserved to win at the end. We had control on result through 60 minutes. Vojvodina fought well, they were close all the time, that's why was a good match. I want to congratulate to my players. Atmosphere in the hall was nice. We knew that will be a tough here. Serbian and Croatian champions played. That is some kind of derby...

 

Ivan Stevanović (CO Zagreb, goalkeeper): We knew that we will a tough clash here and that a lot of fans will be at the hall. We played good at the start. We could break the resistance of home team earlier, but the most important thing is that we won. We analysed them and knew that Elezovic, Mirkovic and Popov are players with international experiences, that they have good goalkeeper. At the end we have thriller ending, but luckily we won...