After the second batch of matches in day 3 of the 2025 IHF Men's Junior World Championship, four more teams secured their main round berths, after Croatia beat Algeria, 35:24, while Hungary defeated Argentina, 36:31. Subsequently, Portugal and Hungary also made it into the main round, with the qualified teams now facing off in the last day of the preliminary round, on Saturday.

GROUP B
Hungary vs Argentina 36:31 (16:13)

After two matches, both teams progressing to the main round from Group B have already been determined. With Austria claiming their second straight victory earlier today, Hungary followed suit with another strong performance, meaning the two European sides are through. They will face each other tomorrow to battle for points to carry into the next stage, while Argentina will meet continental rivals Brazil before both sides head to the President's Cup.

Hungary and Argentina were tied at 2:2 early in the match before the Hungarians used a 4:0 run to open up a 6:2 lead. Centre back Levente Tóth led the way in attack, and Nándor Győri made key saves, helping the team extend their advantage to 10:4 by the 13th minute.

However, Argentina responded with a 3:0 run to stay in the fight. Their goalkeeper Lautaro Rodrigues was substituted by Felipe Suarez, who immediately made an impact. Before half-time, he recorded six saves with an impressive 46% save rate. Another 3:0 run helped the South Americans cut the gap to just one goal, 13:14, by the 29th minute. Yet, thanks to goals from Péter Gazsó and Ádám Nagy, Hungary restored a bigger lead before heading to the dressing room.

After the restart, Suarez’s save efficiency dropped, but Argentina defended well and continued to put pressure on their rivals, whose goalkeeping also declined in the second half. Unlike in their previous game against Austria — where they led at half-time but ultimately lost by six goals — this time, the South Americans showed no signs of fading.

Still, Hungary maintained the upper hand and led by four goals, 26:22, midway through the second half. Levente Tóth finished as Hungary’s top scorer with 100% shot efficiency, converting all seven of his attempts and providing four assists. Ádám Nagy added six goals, and three other teammates contributed five goals each, showcasing a solid team performance that secured Hungary’s second consecutive win.

Player of the Match: Levente Tóth (Hungary)

GROUP D
Croatia vs Algeria 35:24 (18:7)

Croatia joined Portugal in the main round of Poland 2025 after another commanding performance, comfortably defeating Algeria. For the second edition of the IHF Mne's Junior World Championship in a row, Algeria will now head to the President’s Cup.

This was an important match for both teams, and early signs of nervousness were evident. The first goal didn’t come until the fifth minute, with Croatia finally breaking the deadlock after a series of turnovers and early saves by Tin Herceg.

Herceg’s early string of saves gave Croatia the momentum they needed, helping them build a 4:1 lead that quickly stretched to 9:2. By halftime, the Croatian goalkeeper had already made 12 saves at an impressive 63% efficiency. Algeria simply couldn't find a way past Croatia’s compact 6-0 defence — one of the team's trademarks. Scoring only four goals in the first 24 minutes was far below Algeria’s usual standard.

Their struggles extended to the goalkeeper position as well. Neither Achiche Sid Ali nor Salim Mezaza managed to inspire from between the posts, combining for just one save in the opening 30 minutes.

Although Algeria’s defence continued to struggle after the break, their attacking efficiency improved. After converting just 28% of their shots in the first half, they lifted that number to 44%, cutting the gap to 18:27 by the 48th minute — but that was as close as they would get.

Croatia, meanwhile, rotated their squad confidently and maintained control throughout the match. All but two players got on the scoresheet, and goalkeeper Nikola Kahlina, who was named Player of the Match, continued the strong work started by Herceg.

Despite the defeat, Atek Youcef stood out for Algeria, finishing with nine goals and showing resilience until the end.

Croatia will now face Portugal on Saturday in a direct battle for the top spot in the group and a better seeding for the main round. Algeria, still in search of their first win at Poland 2025, will take on Canada in their final group match.

Player of the Match: Nikola Kahlina (Croatia)