Co-hosts Sweden had begun with a 3-0 win over Montenegro before edging Slovakia in the 3-2 contest, then their winning start was ended with a 3-0 loss to world champions Italy to leave them on five points after three matches.
That was enough for third place in Group D, one place and three points clear of Croatia, but having pushed Italy and France hard before also picking up a two-point win over Slovakia, the Balkan side were sure to be a tough test.
And that proved to be true, as Croatia took the first point of the match and held the lead throughout the first set, going on a 5-1 run to turn a 4-3 lead into 9-4, before a 10-3 streak midway through the set extended their advantage to 10 points. Finally, they took the opening set by a convincing 25-16.
Sweden held narrow leads early in the second set, before Croatia turned a 5-3 deficit into a 6-5 advantage, from which point they either led by one or saw the scores tied until going 11-9 up, yet that was part of another key 5-1 run that opened a 14-10 lead. From then on, the visitors maintained a lead of between two and five points to keep the Swedes at arm's length and take the set, 25-22.
Going 6-3 up in the third set was the biggest lead Sweden had enjoyed all game to that point, but it looked to be more of the same when Croatia fought back to lead 9-8. But after a tense period when they lead changed hands, the home side put together a decisive 8-2 run to turn 14-all into a 22-16 score. From there, they closed out a 25-19 win to take it to a fourth set.
In the fourth, it was Croatia who were clinging onto an early lead, but once again, Sweden stepped up when defeat was looming, and from 5-4 behind they dominated proceedings, only dropping five of the next 21 points to go 20-9 ahead, and the fourth set was theirs, 25-16.
That set up a first-to-15 showdown for the win, and a thrilling final set worthy of the match ensued with the lead regularly changing hands with neither side able to establish more than a two-point lead. With the scores tied at 14-14, it became first to 16, but then began a series of Croatia taking the lead five times, only for Sweden to respond to match point on each occasion.
Sweden took their first sudden-death lead at 20-19, and though Croatia replied twice, they couldn't manage to a third time, and Sweden finally took the decisive point to win 23-21 and win an epic encounter by three sets to two.
The two-point win takes Sweden to seven, out of reach of both Slovakia and Montenegro, sealing their place in the Round of 16. Sweden complete their Group D campaign on Thursday 27th against France, who have not dropped a set so far in this championship. Croatia will attempt to beat Montenegro and secure themselves a place in the next round.
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