Karlovac handballers recorded a convincing victory in the first round of the Croatian Handball Cup for the Western Region, defeating home third-tier side Ogulin 38-18. This win also marks Karlovac's first of the season, after an unexpectedly poor start in the Premier League.
Despite the final convincing scoreline, the match did not begin in Karlovac's favour. The Ogulin players opened the game well and took a 2-0 lead, before going ahead 3-2 and 4-3. The home third-tier side thus kept pace with the guests from the higher competition in the opening minutes of the contest.
The turning point came between the 7th and 15th minutes, when Karlovac scored a run of six goals to reverse the result and take control of the match. By half-time, Karlovac had built a lead that allowed them to continue the game calmly.
In the second half, Karlovac maintained a high tempo and further increased the gap, ultimately winning convincingly 38-18. This victory comes as a boost for the Karlovac team following a weaker start to the season in the Premier League.
In the first round of the cup competition for the Western Region, Dubovac Gaze handballers are visiting Gospić. That match is played on 28 October. Karlovac, meanwhile, visits Čakovec on Saturday at 19:00.
