The Gladiators lost to Qatar and were on the brink of elimination from the Handball World Cup

After the resounding triumph against Croatia, the Gladiators lost 26-25 to Qatar and were on the brink of elimination in the World Handball that is disputed in Cairo. Only a draw between Denmark and Croatia will allow the Argentine team to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in history.

Those led by the Spanish Manuel Cardenas they were one goal away from passing the phase without depending on anyone. A draw would have allowed them to reach the best position of the Albiceleste team in a World Cup of the discipline (so far, the best performances have been in the competitions in Sweden 2011 and Qatar 2015: in both they remained in 12th place).

“There is no other choice but to win to make history. The Croatia match was a great match but it was simply a great step that brought us closer to the next phase, which would be tied or defeating Qatar ”, coach Cadenas had explained in dialogue with the agency Télam. And with that objective Argentina came out onto the field of play: with conviction and attitude, it took a wide advantage (it became six conquests) from its efficiency and the good performance of the goalkeeper.

The Gladiators, at the time of the anthem. 

But as the minutes went by, the Asians (who on December 27 had won 24-22 in a friendly preparatory) were returning to the game. Consequently, the Gladiators went into halftime by a meager difference: 13-12.

But at the beginning of the second period the Argentines managed to get a light of four goals and seemed to be heading towards victory, until Qatar reacted from the quality of two of its figures: the nationalized Cubans Marzo and Capote.

It was only eight minutes into the epilogue that the victors managed to mark a difference of two conquests. And although with self-love Argentina was close to the draw, the victory remained for the Qataris.

Previously, Argentina had beaten the Democratic Republic of the Congo, by 28 a 22; a Bahrain by 24-21 and later there was with Denmark, world and Olympic champion, by 31 a 20. These three matches were valid for the first phase. Already in the Main Round, the albicelestes beat Japan by 28 a 24 and then to Croatia by 23-19.

In the quarterfinals they already wait for powerful selected as those of Spain, Hungary, Denmark, France, Norway, Sweden and Egypt. Only one ticket remains to be defined.