Recap
North Macedonia arrive at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto with an extremely inexperienced squad, as the national team is effectively represented by a junior/cadet selection rather than the senior team.
Clubs are not obliged to release their players for this competition, meaning the coaching staff had to build the squad from players who were available and had no club commitments. The team is coached by cadet coach Daniela Noveska, while only two players are aged 19 and 20. The rest are between 16 and 18 years old, with virtually no senior international experience.
The short preparation period also meant that the squad was assembled very quickly, further limiting the team’s ability to develop chemistry and tactical understanding before the tournament.
Their opening match against Greece already highlighted these weaknesses. North Macedonia were fortunate to remain competitive in the first half, largely thanks to goalkeeper Minoska, who made 10 saves. However, after the break, the team struggled badly and were eventually beaten 31:25, with the difference in experience and physicality becoming increasingly evident.
Tunisia produced one of the biggest surprises of the opening round by defeating tournament hosts Italy 25:22, despite entering the match as substantial underdogs at around 4.00 odds. That result demonstrated that Tunisia have a competitive and experienced squad capable of causing serious problems at this level.
The contrast between the two teams is significant. Tunisia have already shown their quality against strong opposition, while North Macedonia are relying on a very young group of players who have had almost no time together and very limited international experience.
Extra bet: -7.5 handicap Tunisia @ 2.75