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January 16, 2025Iceland started their 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship campaign with an emphatic win over Cape Verde in Zagreb.
A 10-goal half-time lead saw the game wrapped up before the break for the Europeans as both sides now look to their second round of group games in two days’ time.
GROUP H
Iceland vs Cape Verde 34:21 (18:8)
Two years ago, Iceland beat Cape Verde (40:30) in the main round of Poland/Sweden 2023 and while there were not 70 goals scored this time around, the difference improved for the Icelanders.
The co-hosts of the 2031 IHF Men’s World Championship (alongside Norway and Denmark), named 17 of their allowed 18 players in the squad, with legendary captain Aron Palmarsson watching from the stands due to a calf injury, one which is expected to keep him out of this preliminary stage.
Cape Verde featured two players who ply their club trade in Iceland – Admilson Furtado and Hafsteinn Ramos Rocha – and despite going 1:0 up early on, they were soon pegged back in attack with Iceland creating three turnovers and punishing their African opponents ruthlessly, leading to Cape Verde coach Jorge Rito taking a time out at 7:2 down in the ninth minute.
On the other side, 2008 Olympic Games silver medallist Snorri Steinn Gudjonsson, in his first IHF Men’s World Championship game as Iceland coach, was enjoying his first 30 minutes, handing some minutes to tournament debutant Thorsteinn Leó Gunnarsson and watching a strong performance at both ends.
At the half, Cape Verde had recorded 12 turnovers and just a 10% shot accuracy and with a +10 goal (18:8) difference in their favour, the game was all set for the Europeans to run away with it – the only negative for them a direct red card for their captain Ellidi Snar Viđarsson just before the break after a hand to the face of Cape Verde’s Edmilson Araujo.
Despite the strength of their first half showing, Iceland did not continue on the upward trajectory in the second.
Maybe it was due to a full squad rotation, or the combination of a lack of concentration and flowing play from Iceland at 25:12 up in the 43rd minute, but Cape Verde showed an extra gear.
They went on a 4:1 scoring run (26:16, 47th minute), forcing Gudjonsson to take a time out and make his feelings clearly known to his team.
This ensured any sort of comeback was cut short for the Cape Verdeans who will now prepare to face Slovenia on Saturday (18 January), while Iceland will line up against Cuba.
hummel Player of the Match: Janus Dadi Smárason (Iceland)
