Croatia start EHF EURO 2012 build-up without Penezić

Aiming for their first podium finish in women’s handball as an independent nation, Croatia will start their build-up for the 2012 Women’s EHF European Championship in Serbia (December 4 to 16) without some of their key players who have been given additional time to recuperate.

One of the most notable absentees is team leader Andrea Penezić, who sustained a painful ankle injury during the 2012 London Olympic Games and has been left out of the provisional squad along with Lidija Horvat and Jelena Grubišić.

There is little doubt, however, that all three will be firmly in the reckoning for the European Championship for which Croatia have been drawn in Group C alongside Germany, Spain and Hungary in Novi Sad.

Meanwhile, some young players have been added to the squad to test their credentials for December’s event, where Croatia have high hopes of being one of the dark horses in the hunt for a medal.

Coach Vladimir Canjuga has named the following squad of 18 for the October 1 to October 3 build up in Slavonski Brod and a tournament in the Serbian town of Petrovac from October 4 to October 6:

Sonja Bašić (WHC Metalurg), Katarina Bralo (Budućnost), Žana Čović (Podravka Vegeta), Dragica Džono (Zelina), Kristina Elez (Erdi Sport), Lana Franković (Sesvete), Anita Gaće (Podravka Vegeta), Nataša Janković (Lokomotiva), Ivana Jelčić (Podravka Vegeta), Katarina Ježić (Budućnost), Renata Knježević (Zelina), Ivana Lovrić (Samobor), Vesna Milanović-Litre (Podravka Vegeta), Ivana Petković (Zelina), Nikica Pušić-Koroljević (Podravka Vegeta), Miranda Tatari (Podravka), Maja Zebić (RK Zaječar) i Marta Žderić (Podravka Vegeta).