Denmark returned to the semi-finals of the IHF Men’s Junior World Championship after an eight-year wait, with a hard-fought 25:23 win over Norway, in a tough battle, which saw Denmark pull away only late in the match.

In the second quarter-final, Portugal eliminated Egypt, 30:26, making it to the semi-finals only for the third time in history.

QUARTER-FINALS
Denmark vs Norway 25:23 (11:11)

It was Norway’s chance to secure a semi-finals berth at the IHF Men’s Junior World Championship for the first time since 1995, when they ended on the fourth place, but a clash against Denmark is always a tough proposition, especially a Denmark side which won five out of five at Poland 2025 and a generation which had already qualified for a final, at the 2023 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship.

Norway had finished second in their group in the main round, with two draws up until this point, but they looked the sharper side in this match, despite their top goal scorer up until this point, Henrik Hartz Hagen, failing to score any goal in the first half.

With a strong defence, Norway started better, 5:2, after only six minutes and 33 seconds, and it definitely looked like the game was going to be a high-pace, high-scoring one. But in the next 23 minutes and 27 seconds, Norway scored only six times more.

And that was mostly due to the two goalkeepers – Denmark’s Frederik Moller Wolff and Henrik Ibsen – each registering eight saves, for a 42% saving efficiency. And the two teams also beefed up their defence, with a 5:0 unanswered run for Denmark seeing Ulrik Kirkely’s side taking a 7:5 lead, after Norway failed to score for six minutes and 54 seconds.

Ibsen then took over and it was Denmark’s turn to suffer in attack, with seven minutes and four seconds without a goal scored, yet Norway could only score three times, to wrestle back the lead, 8:7. Eventually, the two sides were in a deadlock at the break, 11:11, with Norway having the faster-paced attack, but also the larger number of turnovers – eight.

While Denmark had a 48% shooting efficiency at the break, Norway’s was not much higher – 52% - therefore it was all going to be decided in the second half, when Norway started much better and opened up a two-goal gap again, 15:13, once again, with Preben Gram scoring twice in the start of the second half.

But Denmark were no pushovers and had a fantastic stint between the 40th and the 47th minutes, when they outscored Norway five goals to one, taking a three-goal lead for the first time in the match, 20:17, with the pressure now moving Norway’s way.

While Norway did their best to turn the match around, Denmark were simply too strong and some key saves from Moller Wolff, who finished with 13 saves for a 36% saving efficiency, lifted Denmark past their opponents, 25:23, helping the Scandinavian side return to the semi-finals after eight years.

Player of the Match: Henrik Ibsen (Norway)
 

Portugal vs Egypt 30:26 (13:13)

Portugal secured their third semi-final appearance at the IHF Men's Junior Handball Championship—and their first since 2019—after defeating Egypt. A powerful second half lifted the European side past the African champions, and they will now fight for a place in the final against the winner of the Slovenia vs Faroe Islands clash.

A high-stakes game brought exactly the kind of tension expected. Both sides came in strong, scoring from powerful shots in the first ten minutes, while their defences held firm when needed. After ten minutes, they were locked at 3:3, with neither side allowing much breathing room.

Portugal were the first to loosen the grip. A handful of great saves from Diogo Rêma Marques gave them the push they needed, and Tomás Teixeira started finding space in Egypt's defence. The lead stretched to 10:7 by the 20th minute, and Portugal looked to be growing into the match.

However, Egypt stayed calm and used their defence to force rushed plays, pushing Portugal into a series of turnovers and hesitant finishes. Mohamed Elbattawi kept the pressure on in attack, while Youssef Salama did just enough in goal. Turnovers and at times hasty attacks, prompted by Egypt's strong defensive setup, disrupted Portugal’s flow. Egypt capitalised, narrowed the gap, and brought it back to level by halftime, 13:13.

Portugal had another blistering start as the second half commenced, using a 3:0 run in the first five minutes to set the score at 17:15. Egypt kept pouncing, never allowing Portugal to ease off, but they could not break the curse. In the 45th minute, Portugal finally carved out the first four-goal lead of the game.

Rêma Marques continued his standout performance between the posts, and Egypt were held scoreless for five full minutes. But despite that defensive performance, Portugal failed to capitalise and stretch the gap. Youssef Salama then stepped up at the other end. With two key saves, he breathed new life into Egypt's game. They clawed their way back to 21:23, forcing Carlos Martingo to call a time-out and regroup his side before the momentum slipped any further.

And the minute break was exactly what Portugal needed. It was followed by a 2:0 run to set the score at 27:22—a lead that proved crucial in ultimately winning the game. Tomás Teixeira netted seven goals altogether, and Rafael Vasconcelos joined him with six, while Mohamed Khallaf and Mohamed Elbattawi remained Egypt's main force, scoring six each.

Player of the Match: Tomás Teixeira (Portugal)