Croatia thwarted France’s chance for another significant upset at the World Cup.

The “Barracudas” have reached the finals, aiming for their third title in history after defeating the French team with a close score of 17:16 (11:11 in regulation).

The “Tricolori” posed a challenge for everyone, showcasing their competitiveness against the Croats. They appeared poised to secure a surprising spot in the final, but ultimately, one of the tournament favorites succeeded and will compete against Italy for the gold on Saturday.

Croatia established an early lead at 2:0 and 3:1 in the first quarter, capitalizing on all three power plays. However, despite their successful execution, they couldn’t pull away.

Toma Verna and goalie Igo Fontani kept the host nation in the game, as France showed resilience even during the third period when they trailed 9:6, and in the final minute, when Loren Fatović scored 52 seconds before the end to make it 11:10.

In the subsequent attack, Enzo Kas scored, and Croatia had just 16 seconds left in regulation to secure the victory, but they were unsuccessful.

They redeemed themselves ten minutes later, after a tense shootout. Ivica Tucak replaced Marko Bijač with Mateo Anić in goal, and Anić saved Kas’s shot, leading to a jubilant celebration…

This Saturday at 15:30, Croatia will vie for its third world championship title, having previously won it in 2007 in Melbourne and again in 2017 in Budapest.

France aims to secure its first-ever medal at the world championships, facing Spain on Saturday the 14th.

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