Match Preview
Croatia has shown significant growth since their early tournament loss to Sweden, particularly on the defensive side. This is largely the same battle-tested squad that secured a silver medal at the World Championship last year. While Slovenia has been a great story, I’m backing the Cowboys to use their experience to edge out the Dragons on Tuesday.
Slovenia Refuses to Fade in Semifinal Hunt
Tagged as underdogs by many entering the 2026 Main Round, Slovenia is proving the doubters wrong. They enter this round with four points, sitting neck-and-neck with three other top-ranked squads in the race for a semifinal berth.
The "Dragons" were perfect in the group stage, winning three high-scoring thrillers against Montenegro (41-40), Switzerland (38-35), and the Faroe Islands (30-27). Domen Makuc was the catalyst for that run, earning two Man of the Match awards and racking up 24 goals in those three games.
Slovenia also gave Sweden a massive scare in their Main Round opener, leading 15-13 at the half. Though they couldn’t withstand the Swedish offensive surge in the second period, they bounced back on Sunday with a gritty 35-32 win over Hungary. Blaž Janc took over in that contest, scoring 10 goals—including several clutch strikes from the wing—to keep Slovenia’s postseason dreams alive.
Croatia Finding Championship Form at the Right Time
Mirroring their opponents, Croatia enters the fourth round with serious momentum. After advancing to the Main Round with zero points, the path was narrow, but they have fought back to control their own destiny. If they win their final two games, they clinch a spot in the final four.
The comeback began with a nail-biting 30-29 victory over Iceland last week. Despite the close score, the Cowboys dictated the tempo for most of the match, led by Mateo Maraš, who finished with seven goals.
They followed that up with their most disciplined performance yet on Sunday, a 28-24 win over Switzerland. Croatia’s defense was the story, completely neutralizing the Swiss transition game. Zvonimir Srna put on an all-around clinic with five goals and five assists, earning Man of the Match honors.