Croatia lost at home with 79–81 points.
Lauri Markkanen punished Croatia with 19 points on Sunday. EPA / AOP
Finland took a great victory in the final match of the first stage of the World Cup qualification. Croatia already seemed to be rolling to victory on their home floor, but Finland’s streak would bite.
Lauri Markkanen nailed the game-winning shot with 4.3 seconds before the buzzer. Croatia still got to the goal line a second before the end, but Ivica Zubac missed twice.
Finland won with 81–79 points.
– Faith did not waver, Sasu Salin commented on Nelose.
– It quickly turned around.
Finland had already secured its place in the second round of qualifying, Croatia had not. The match was not without stakes for Finland either, as the points from the first qualifying round go into the second round.
In addition to Finland, Slovenia and Sweden took the next place. Croatia remained a group jumbo and fell out of the qualification.
Along with Slovenia and Sweden, Israel, Germany and Estonia are in the same group as Finland in the second round. The top three will pick up a place in the WC final tour.
The second stage of the qualification starts on August 25.