The home side led 10-8 at half time, and had the upper hand for much of the second half before the champions found a way to earn a victory which will ensure them of the best possible draw in the knock-out phase.

Zarko Markovic, Adidas man-of-the-match, levelled the score at 25-25 with his 10th goal of the match with three and a half minutes remaining, but then goals from Julen Aguinagalde, Joan Canellas and Aguinagalde again sealed the result.

"In the last three minutes Spain showed their quality and experience," said Qatar coach Valero Rivera, who led Spain to the world title two years ago.

"Until 15 minutes to the end of the match we had possibilities to win, and that is a success for Qatar."

Defending champions Spain found an extra gear to inflict a first defeat, by 28-25, on hosts Qatar at the World Handball Championships ©Qatar2015




Both teams will go on to the final 16 knock-out stages - but the champions have reminded everyone just how hard it will be to wrest this title from them.

Neighbours Croatia and Macedonia, both assured of progressing from Group B, nevertheless had a fiercely contested match in front of 2,000 vociferous fans in the Duhail Arena, with Croatia solidifying their position at the top with a 29-26 victory.

The match boiled over in the second half after infringements from both sides, with the Macedonia coach being warned and two Macedonian players undergoing two-minute suspensions, during which time the balance of the match tipped Croatia's way.

Croatia remain unbeaten at the top of Group B after a fiercely contested 29-26 win over near neighbours Macedonia ©Qatar2015

A total of 12 more goals from Slovenia's Dragan Gajic in a 35-32 win over Brazil kept him top of the overall scorers in these Championships with 39 in four matches, and leaves his team second in Group A with one game remaining.

Gajic, who was voted Adidas man-of-the-match, was the difference between the teams in a closely fought match which confirmed Slovenia's progress to the knock-out stages and leaves Brazil, who have won only once, requiring maximum points from bottom-placed Chile in their fifth and final Group A match to reach the final 16.

A 34-23 win over Chile brought Belarus their first points and the theoretical possibility of qualifying for the knock-out stages, although to do this they will have to beat the hosts in their final Group A match and Chile will have to beat Brazil.

Barys Pukhouski excelled himself in keeping the Belarus hopes alive as he scored eight of their goals and claimed the man-of-the-match award.

In the other two Group B matches, Tunisia usurped Bosnia-Herzegovina's fourth place by beating the debutant nation 27-24, while Austria confirmed their progress to the knock-out phase with a 38-26 win over bottom-placed Iran.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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