ZAGREB — African champions Egypt saw off their European counterparts Slovenia 26:25 in a tense main round clash at the 2025 World Men’s Handball Championship.
Ahead of the game, Slovenia’s delegation were clear that they needed to take two wins from their final two games in the second stage of competition to push forward in the last eight, but with the loss their progression is now down to other results and maths.
With 34 seconds remaining of the game, following a Uros Zorman team time-out, Slovenia had the opportunity to salvage a draw against their Egyptian opponents, a draw which would be vital in their hopes of making the last eight.
But with the clock running and attacking under the passive play signal, when Miha Zarabec received the ball with five seconds left and attempted to shoot, it was the fifth pass and the play turned over.
This prompted tears from the Egypt bench, knowing they are now in a commanding position to once again make the final eight of an IHF Men’s World Championship in what would be their fourth in a row.
It was to prove not to be enough as Slovenia left themselves a massive uphill climb following a disappointing first half.
Slovenia came into the game missing Nejc Cehte, who has been ruled out of the championship due to his broken ribs, replaced by Jure Dolence, while Urban Lesjak came in for Joze Baznik. Egypt was still without Ahmed Hesham.
The first 15 minutes saw the lead change four times, with just four goals scored in the opening nine minutes (2:2), complete with three Egyptian and five Slovenian turnovers.
Dolenec made his championship bow within the sixth minutes and the majority Slovenia fans inside the arena – later bolstered by Croatians, who played in the following match, prepared to strap themselves in for the ride.
Egypt eventually opened at two-goal lead (7:5, 15th minute) and Slovenia were in danger of letting the game get away from them. But they suffered yet another injury blow soon after as Rok Ovnicek went down gripping his right knee in pain after appearing to overextend as he tried to exploit a rare gap in the Egyptian defence.
After treatment on the side of the court, he left the court walking with the support of two staff, but it was the goalkeepers who needed the support on court, having recorded just one save, with little protection behind a porous defensive line.
Aleks Vlah, full of energy, was trying his best to make it happen as he led his side in their four-goal catch-up as 9:5 became 9:8 and Juan Carlos Pastor called an Egyptian time out after Blaz Janc had brought it within one in front of a largely happy crowd (20th minute).
It eventually went equal once again (10:10), but with players like Ali Zein on form, Slovenia’s defence was breached time and time ago, his ingenious steal helping his side to a three-goal lead once again (14:11).
A flurry of four goals in just over 60 seconds saw the two teams go into the break two goals apart (16:14 to Egypt) and despite a video review not going in their favour, Egypt were happy going into the break.
The only surprise was that Slovenia was still within touching distance. Their half-time stats read like a nightmare for Zorman with just two first half saves and 10 turnovers.
Ahmed Adel on the line was causing problems and it was no different in the second half as Slovenia went up to 15 turnovers inside the first 10 minutes of the second period (37th minute).
However, they kept in touch somewhat unbelievably (20:19, 45th minute). With 10 minutes left Egypt had taken another big lead (23:19) as Zorman took a time out (51st minute) and goalkeeper Karim Hendawy let out a big cheer on the bench.
Job done? It appeared so, but Slovenia had other ideas, coming back again to that one goal difference inside that last 40 seconds.
A nervous and frantic Egyptian bench had thoughts of sharing the points, but in the end, they broke Slovenian hearts.
