Sanja Bajgoric, Nenad Rogulj, Marijana Cavala, Ante Burger
The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in defensive situational activity indicators between successful and less successful teams in elite men's handball. A total of 1848 matches from the Croatian men's Premier League were analyzed. The study focused on 15 variables related to goalkeeper and defensive player performance. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each variable, and univariate variance analysis was used to determine the statistical significance of differences between successful and less successful teams. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences in several areas, including the average number of goalkeeper's shot-stopping from wing positions, 7 meters, and 9 meters, as well as the efficiency percentages for these actions. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the average number of balls won by defense players and the average number of 7-meter throws executed by defense players. These findings provide insights into the key defensive factors that distinguish more successful teams in elite handball competitions.