With five minutes left on the clock in the first match of day 4 in the Jane Sandanski Arena 2 at the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, Uzbekistan were heading for their first-ever win, but a fantastic comeback from Guinea helped the Asian side secure a 30:28 win.

GROUP G
Guinea vs Uzbekistan 30:28 (15:17)

Still looking for their maiden win at the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, after a nine-match losing streak, dating back to their first appearance in 2016, Uzbekistan faced Guinea, in the battle between the two sides which lost their maiden matches against Portugal and Montenegro in Group G at North Macedonia 2024.

And for the first half, it looked like the Asian side, highly improved in the last years, by their standards, were likely to secure their objective, taking a 10:7 lead after 18 minutes. But it was always going to be a battle between the two different styles, and the team which imposed its style was going to secure the precious win.

At the break, the Asian side had a 17:15 lead, and it was looking increasingly likely to win, but Guinea bounced back and even opened a three-goal lead, 24:21, after a 5:1 run, which was boosted by Kadiatou Sankhon, who scored 10 goals throughout the match.

But Uzbekistan bounced back and a 4:0 run, spurred by three goals from centre back Sabina Mullaeva, who was the Alkaloid Player of the Match and the Asian side’s top scorer, with nine goals, turned the game on its head, as Uzbekistan led 25:24, with 10 minutes to go.

With five minutes left, Uzbekistan were still in the lead, but they failed to score any goal in the ensuing minutes, leaving Guinea with the chance to mount a comeback. Sankhon’s tenth goal and another from Mariama Bangoura helped the African team use a 3:0 run to clinch the win, 30:27, their third at the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship.

The two sides will head for the President’s Cup now, where Guinea will start with two points and Uzbekistan on zero points, as they face the United States of America and either North Macedonia or Angola.

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Sabina Mullaeva (Uzbekistan)