South and Central American champions Argentina clinched 21st place on the final ranking at the 2019 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship with a three-goal win over the USA, which opened the day in Vigo on Thursday 25 July. 

21/22 PLACEMENT MATCH
USA vs Argentina 20:23 (8:11)

Argentina allowed the USA to lead for the first quarter of the game, before they claimed the upper hand and held the edge for the rest of the match. After the score of 3:2 at the 10-minute mark and 4:3 in the 15th, Argentina equalised and then never looked back. 

With a 6:0 run, Argentina turned the momentum of the match completely on its head, allowing the USA no goals from the 14th minute to the 25th. With the score of 4:9 against them at that point, the USA were in a difficult position, but they managed to decrease the deficit a little before half-time. 

It was three goals in the last three minutes of the half from Amir Benjamin Seifert that brought the USA closer, and Seifert went on to become his team’s top scorer in the game, with a total of nine. In the second period, the USA threated to draw level when they came within two goals at 16:18 in the 46th minute, but Argentina pulled away again and seemed to play with less than full power, while still maintaining the advantage. 

The USA’s keepers, Rene Ingram and Marc Hvidkjaer, both had strong games, with a combined 14 saves at 36% and 38%, respectively. For Argentina, Ignacio Perez was the top scorer, with four goals.