FC Barcelona beat Montada Derb Sultan 51-15 to enter the final
FC Barcelona booked their place in the IHF Men’s Club World Championship final with a dominant 51-15 victory over Morocco’s Montada Derb Sultan at the New Capital Sports Hall. Led by 12 goals from Dani Fernández and a stellar 11-save performance from goalkeeper Sergey Hernández, Carlos Ortega’s side set a new club scoring record in the competition and advanced to face Veszprém on October 1.
Record-Breaking Group Stage Finale in Cairo
Entering the third and final match of the group stage already mathematically assured of a spot in the final, FC Barcelona delivered a historic display of tactical execution and transition efficiency. The squad was missing Dika Mem and N’Guessan due to rotation rest, allowing Carlos Ortega to test depth personnel. The African side initially capitalized on early probing phases, grabbing a 2-1 lead in the sixth minute behind contributions from players like Hamza Ouafik and Mohammed Amine Bentaleb. However, the blaugranes quickly shifted momentum through an 8-0 scoring run, anchored by Dani Fernández, who converted six of those early sequences into goals. By halftime, Barça established a commanding 23-8 lead backed by a 77% shooting efficiency and 11 saves from Sergey Hernández.
Unrelenting Second-Half Transition and MVP Performance
The second period proved even more lopsided as the Spanish powerhouse opened with a relentless 10-0 run. Adrian Sola matched the offensive pace with 11 goals, while Djordje Cikusa orchestrated the attack, adding 10 goals of his own to earn the official MVP award. Goalkeeper Hallgrimsson added five saves during this stretch to stifle any potential Montada Derb Sultan comeback. In the closing seconds, Cikusa netted the team’s 51st goal during a fast transition, breaking the previous club Super Globe scoring record of 50 goals set against Club Ministros in 2022, while securing a remarkable +36 goal differential.
| Team | Final Score | Top Scorers | Goalkeeper Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Barcelona | 51 | Dani Fernández (12), Adrian Sola (11), Djordje Cikusa (10) | Sergey Hernández (11 saves), Hallgrimsson (5 saves) |
| Montada Derb Sultan | 15 | Mohammed Amine Bentaleb (3), Hamza Ouafik (2), Said Malki (2) | Alae Laaroussi (-) |
Championship Showdown Against Veszprém
Attention for the Catalan side pivots immediately toward the ultimate fixture of the tournament. Barça will face Veszprém on Thursday, October 1, at 7:00 PM CEST, with the explicit objective of successfully defending their world title.
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