Despite resting their number one goalie, Jose Manuel Sierra, and fielding a number of younger players, Spain were never seriously challenged throughout by a team who began this Championship in the second group of seeds along with Sweden, Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Like Spain, Slovenia were already assured of a passage through to the final 16 knock-out stages which is due to start on Sunday (January 25), and they rested their top scorer, Dragan Gajic, during the first half.

The hosts also finished their Group A qualifying on a high, coming from behind to beat Belarus 26-22 to take second place behind Spain with four wins out of five.

Hosts Qatar rounded off their qualifying campaign at the World Handball Championships by coming from behind to beat Belarus 26-22 ©Qatar2015

Belarus led 12-7 at half-time, but soon after the ten-minute mark in the second half the hosts drew level at 14-14 through Mahmoud  Hassab Alla, who scored again a minute later to give Qatar a lead they did not relinquish.

Zarko Markovic was once again Qatar's top scorer, with nine, while Dzianis Rutenka got seven goals for Belarus, whose chances of progressing through the fourth and final qualifying spot were effectively over following Brazil's earlier 30-22 win over bottom team Chile.

Tunisia booked their place in the last 16 with a 30-23 win over Group B's bottom team, debutants Iran, in front of a fervent 4,500 crowd at Doha's Al Attiya Arena.

The African side, for whom Jaleleddine Touati won the Adidas man-of-the-match award in scoring seven goals, confirmed their fourth place ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who had needed a victory and defeat, or perhaps a draw, for Tunisia in order to progress.

Tunisia booked their progress to the last 16 knock-out stages of the World Handball Championships with a 30-23 win over debutants Iran ©Qatar2015

Bosnia and Herzegovina lost 28-21 to Croatia, who thus became the only team in the tournament to match Spain's 100 per cent record in qualification.

Croatia's right back Luka Stepancic commented: "We're first in our group and we're looking forward to the match against Brazil."

Croatia's playmaker Igor Karacic earned the man-of-the-match award after top scoring with six goals.

It was a special match for him, as he faced his brother Ivan on the Bosnia-Herzegovina squad - the first time the siblings have played against each other at a World Championship.

Macedonia won their final Group B match against the team one place below them in third, Austria, by 36-31.

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