Sweden made a huge step towards a main round berth at the 2025 IHF Men's Junior World Championship, with a 39:21 win over the United States of America, while Norway opened their account in the competition, with a 35:17 win over Uruguay.

GROUP C
United States of America vs Sweden 21:39 (10:19)

Sweden cruised to another easy win at the IHF Men’s Junior World Championship — a 39:21 victory over the United States secured their spot in the main round and, in turn, sent their opponents to the President’s Cup.

After a heavy loss to Japan, the United States came into their second group match with a stronger tactical approach and better defensive structure. Early on, it paid off. With three good saves from Grayson Wide, the USA held a narrow lead in the opening seven minutes.

Despite eventually falling behind, they stayed within reach up until the 17th minute, when Martin Brunvold scored to make it 9:6 for Sweden. From that moment on, things began to shift. Seven turnovers in the first half hampered any progress for the USA, who struggled to match Sweden’s speed in transition.

A 3:0 run, followed shortly by another 4:0 surge, allowed Sweden to break away, building a comfortable 16:7 lead. With momentum fully on their side, Isak Borg pulled the strings in attack, while goalkeeper Emil Holmberg Schatzl tallied ten saves in the first 30 minutes.

The opening moments of the second half truly put Sweden into the spotlight. With continued strong defensive performance and clinical finishing, they tightened their grip even further. For every goal the United States managed to score, Sweden responded with two, gradually widening the gap.

Their composure on both ends of the court led to a 30:15 lead, effectively doubling the USA's score and removing any remaining doubt about the outcome. Sweden powered on to 39 goals, with Linus Gustavsson netting nine, while Holmberg Schatzl added another eight saves in the second half, bringing his total to 18. For the USA, Rodrigo Campos Menendez finished as their top scorer with four goals.

Player of the Match: Emil Holmberg Schatzl (Sweden)

GROUP A
Uruguay vs Norway 17:35 (11:18)

After splitting the points with Slovenia in their opening match, Norway had a slow start against Uruguay but ultimately secured their first victory at Poland 2025 in convincing style, taking a big step toward the main round. A win against hosts Poland tomorrow will guarantee their progression, while Uruguay, now bottom of the group after two consecutive defeats, are no longer in contention.

The South Americans, who lost by 23 goals to Poland in their opener, surprised their European rivals early in the match by taking a 4:2 lead. Goalkeeper Julian Rovira made a string of early saves, giving his team a much-needed confidence boost.

However, Norway quickly regrouped and found their rhythm. An improved defensive effort allowed the Nordic side to punish Uruguay on the counterattack. Wingers Kasper Iversen and Preben Gram helped launch a 7:0 run between the 7th and 18th minutes, turning the game around for a comfortable 9:4 lead.

Right back Lasse Sunde Lid, who eventually finished as the match’s top scorer with eight goals, was a key figure in attack. Although Uruguay showed occasional signs of resistance, Norway held a comfortable seven-goal lead at halftime.

Uruguay looked better overall than in their first match, but their attacking momentum faded after the break, managing only six goals in the second half. Norway still led by seven midway through the second period (23:16), but Henrik Ibsen, who replaced Oskar Knudsen in goal, completely shut the door.

Ibsen recorded eight saves with an impressive 80% save rate, and Norway went on an 11:0 run between the 45th and 59th minutes to seal a commanding 18-goal victory.

Player of the Match: Lasse Sunde Lid (Norway)