
Croatia first team into semi-finals of Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 after incredible comeback
January 29, 2025
Dramatic finish against Germany lifts Portugal to maiden semi-finals berth
January 30, 2025The last two quarter-finals berths will be handed on Wednesday in the Unity Arena in Baerum, when the last two quarter-finals at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 are scheduled.
Reigning champions Denmark will look for another semi-finals berth, their fourth in a row, against Brazil, while Germany face Portugal in a crunch match, with the latter side aiming to break into the top-4 for the first time in history.
QUARTER-FINALS
- 17:30 CET Denmark vs Brazil
After a two-day break, matches resume in the Unity Arena in Baerum, Oslo, and the first one will see the reigning champions, Denmark, aiming to secure their fourth semi-finals berth in a row and extend their 34-matches unbeaten streak at the IHF Men’s World Championship.
The last time Denmark lost in the world handball flagship competition was eight years ago, in the Round of 16, at France 2017, but since that moment they have totally dominated their opponents, winning 32 matches and drawing two others, as they will be overwhelming favourites in this match.
The match sees the goalkeepers with the best saving efficiency – Denmark’s Emil Nielsen (43.8%) and Brazil’s Rangel Da Rosa (40.1%) – on the court, but also the top goal scorer of the competition, Denmark’s Mathias Gidsel, who has 49 goals at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 and will need only two goals to hit the 150-goal mark at the IHF Men’s World Championship, after being the top goal scorer at the previous edition, Poland/Sweden 2023.
It is also the battle between the top attack in the competition – with Denmark scoring at a pace of 37.5 goals per match – against a strong defence, as Brazil conceded only 25.1 goals per match, with Da Rosa shining between the posts in which has arguably been one of the sturdiest defences in the competition.
The main change for Denmark will be leaving behind the Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning, where they played both the preliminary round and the main round, securing six clear wins in six matches, and moving to the Unity Arena, where Brazil were based since the start of the competition.
“It’s a different task that awaits us. It’s hard to go from having the world’s best fans in the Boxen to having to go up here, where maybe not all the arena will support us,” said Denmark’s left back, Simon Pytlick, for Danish media outlet TV2.
Brazil, on the other hand, are for the first time in the quarter-finals of the IHF Men’s World Championship, ensuring their best finish in history in the world handball flagship competition.
But their performance has been absolutely outstanding, having won against three top European sides – Norway, Sweden and Spain – for the first time in history at the IHF Men’s World Championship and want to complete the Scandinavian hat-trick against Denmark.
“It’s the favourite team, not only to win against us, but to win the World Championship. I think we have to take advantage of it. What we’re witnessing is very special for us, for Brazil, for the handball of South America,” said Brazil’s Haniel Langaro before the match against Denmark.
In the three mutual meetings at the IHF Men’s World Championship, Denmark won every time, with a 32:12 dominating performance in 1958, a 28:24 win in 2003 and a 40:27 win in 2009.
- 20:30 CET Portugal vs Germany
It’s crunch time for undefeated Portugal, which have delivered their best performance in history at the IHF Men’s World Championship, as well as their best start, with five wins and a single draw in the first six matches.
Portugal beat Spain, Brazil and Norway so far, drawing in a high-octane match against Sweden, 37:37, and they can secure their maiden semi-finals berth in a match with a largely more experienced side, Germany, which have seen the top-4 ten times in their history.
After clinching their maiden win against Spain in official matches, as well as staying undefeated against Sweden only for the second time in history, Portugal will face another team which dominates the head-to-head meetings, with Germany taking seven wins in eight matches against Paulo Pereira’s team.
But Portugal are no pushovers, as the Costa brothers – right back Francisco and left back Martim – have been shining on the court so far, scoring 36 and 33 goals respectively, being their team’s top scorers, and lingering around the top-10 in the goal scorer standings.
“We know Germany, we know they are a very experienced team, a very good team, but one which we can win against, provided we have the same team spirit and the same mentality,” said Francisco Costa for ihf.info.
For a perennial contender, Germany have somehow disappointed in the past years, reaching the semi-finals only two times in the last nine editions, winning the title in 2007 and finishing fourth in 2019.
They are only seven goals shy of hitting the 5000-goal mark at the IHF Men’s World Championship, which they will likely do in the first half against Portugal and become the first side with 5000 goals in the world handball flagship competition. But can they challenge for a medal?
Centre back Juri Knorr and left wing Rune Dahmke have missed chunks of this edition of the IHF Men’s World Championship due to illness, and their only match against a title challenger ending in a painful 30:40 loss against Denmark.
“It’s a very interesting team, they’re playing very well throughout the tournament. When you see what kind of teams they’ve left behind, that says a lot about what they’re playing now. A super interesting mix of old and young, experienced players and very fresh, really good players. They’re playing really well,” said Germnay’s coach, Alfred Gislason about opponents Portugal.