Italy secured a comfortable 38-21 victory over Kosovo in the Mediterranean Games handball competition on Wednesday evening. The result extends Italy's unbeaten run in the tournament while leaving Kosovo still searching for their first win.
Italy had been flying high in the standings before this fixture, sitting second with four victories and a draw from five matches. Kosovo, meanwhile, occupied sixth place with five draws and no wins. The gap between the sides was clear from the opening minutes.
The final scoreline reflected Italy's superiority throughout. They controlled possession and tempo, converting their chances efficiently while Kosovo struggled to mount any sustained pressure. By then, the outcome was never in doubt.
Italy's recent form has been impressive. They beat Algeria 27-17 on Monday and defeated Tunisia 22-25 two days earlier. Their previous results include wins over Switzerland and the Netherlands, along with a heavy 36-20 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in March.
Kosovo's pattern has been different. Their last outing ended in a 20-40 loss to Greece, with earlier results showing defeats to Algeria, Croatia, France, and Finland. The team has drawn five of their five matches so far in this tournament.
The result means Italy move further clear at the top of their group. Kosovo remain bottom of the table with zero points from five games, still hoping to turn their record around before the tournament concludes.