Handball players face Portugal tonight

(Patria) - The Bosnia and Herzegovina handball team will visit Portugal tonight in the first match of the playoffs for the 2025 World Championship, which will be held in Croatia, Denmark and Norway.

In this match, new selector Damir Doborac will make his debut on the Dragons' bench, and our team will be led for the first time as captain by pivot Senjamin Burić. He was elected captain on Tuesday at a players' meeting, with Marko Panić as his deputy. This will be our fourth official duel with Portugal in history. Portugal has two wins, while Bosnia and Herzegovina has one. In the qualifiers for the 2015 World Championship, Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrated at home with 31:29, and Portugal then was better on their home court with 27:26. In the group stage of the 2020 European Championship, Portugal celebrated with 27:24.

Before the start of preparations, Bosnia and Herzegovina selector Damir Doborac faced problems due to injuries to center back Josip Perić and right wing Luka Perić, while Admir Ahmetašević dropped out due to private obligations. Subsequent call-ups were received by Milan Vukšić (Izviđač), Amar Kendić (Maglaj) and Bekir Čordalija (Vogošća).

"When we take our results and those of Portugal, they are favorites on paper, we do not run away from that. However, we also have our trumps. We are short on time, but I sincerely hope that we will give our maximum in terms of that approach. If they are better, we will shake their hand. We will try not to let them beat us that easily. We also have a desire to present ourselves as well as possible. I believe the players are aware of the responsibility," said selector Doborac in the match preview, published on the website of the Handball Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Justice at tonight's duel will be served by Estonians Marion Kull and Alvar Tint, while the delegate is Jan Rudinsky from Slovakia. Incidentally, the referees from Estonia officiated this season for the new-old champion of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Izviđač, in their home match against Chambery in the EHF European League.

For this away trip, selector Damir Doborac has taken the following players: Benjamin Burić, Harun Hodžić, Senjamin Burić, Luka Knežević, Marko Panić, Marko Majstorović, Ibrahim Haseljić, Adi Mehmedćehajić, Milan Vukšić, Matej Ljubić, Pavle Petrović, Nemanja Peštić, Adin Faljić, Mislav Grgić, Dejan Malinović, Mirko Herceg, Adnan Isaković.

The selector will determine 16 players for the match today, and one of them will watch the match from the stands.