The two teams progressing to the main round from Group D have already been determined after Norway's win against Japan, 35:24, with Denmark joining their fellow Scandinavian counterparts.

GROUP D
Norway vs Japan 35:24 (20:12)

The Nordic side took an early control of the match, and their goalkeeper Kadija Mardalen, who delivered an impressive performance against Chinese Taipei the day before, did a good job again. A string of  saves helped Norway to start the match with a 3:0 run, which morphed into a 10:5 lead.

Relying on an aggressive defence, Japan tried to put pressure on their rivals, forcing the Norwegian side to turn the ball over. In the 22nd minute, the Scandinavians had a three-goal advantage (14:11), but they kept more energy late in the first half and later used a 8:1 run to establish an eight-goal lead at the break.

Japan scored twice in a row early in the second half to reduce the gap to 20:14, but Norway responded with a 6:1 run in the next 10 minutes, basically removing all questions about the outcome. Mardalen continued to impress in goal, finishing the game with 13 saves and a 46% efficiency, while left wing Selin Camburce did well in attack, scoring seven goals from just as many attempts. 

Norway and Denmark, who are tied on four points, will meet on Saturday, fighting for the top place in Group D and for the points which they will carry over to the next stage. The Asian teams in Group D, Japan and Cinese Taipei, will also face off on the last day of the preliminary round, before both sides continue in the President's Cup. 

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Kadija Mardalen, Norway