The Serbian handball team secured a crucial victory over Hungary in a World Cup playoff match at the "Čair" arena in Niš, winning 31-29. The win puts Serbia one step closer to the world's biggest tournament, though they must now defend this narrow advantage in their away leg.

Serbian player Dragan Pešmalbek was aware that the scoreline could have been more convincing, given that Serbia held a seven-goal lead at one point during the game. "We played very well in an excellent atmosphere. Unfortunately, the final score was only a two-goal difference, but the result is great. Hungary is one of the best teams in the world, and we will fight for our place at the World Cup next week," Pešmalbek said after the first leg playoff match.

Team captain Vanja Ilić echoed Pešmalbek's sentiments, noting that the margin could have been larger, but stressed the importance of securing the win. "We showed that we can compete with them and that we can be even better. With the same mindset, we head to Veszprém to win and progress further. It's crucial to keep our cool," Ilić emphasized, also expressing great appreciation for the fans.

Stefan Dodić highlighted the team's outstanding performance, especially in the first half. "It could have been more convincing, but there is a return leg. We will be prepared for everything that awaits us there. I expect a similar atmosphere. Thank you to our fans for their support; they were fantastic," Dodić added.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)