France and Sweden have qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, after France clinched a 42:15 win over the People’s Republic of China, in the last match of the day 6 of the competition in the Jane Sandanski Sports Center.

MAIN ROUND
GROUP III
France vs People’s Republic of China 42:15 (16:9)

Needing two points to progress to the quarter-finals, France answered the question about the winner of the match after only 13 minutes, with a 9:1 run, which left the People’s Republic of China without any possibility to challenge the European powerhouse.

Delivering another impressive defensive performance, the ethos of French handball, Eric Baradat’s side scored at free will, as the gap ballooned to 10 goals four minutes later, 13:3, despite France shuffling their players, as they did throughout the whole competition so far.

Centre back Xuedan Liu had an inspiring second part of the first half, scoring four goals in the last 13 minutes, as the Asian side, spurred from the bench by coach Suzana Lazovic, managed to limit the damage, cutting the gap to only seven goals, 16:9, in an exciting display of dazzling handball.

France were resilient, though, and the second half saw the European side restarted the second half in impressive fashion, as all but one outfield player scored at least one goal, with goalkeepers Alix Tignon (nine saves and a 50% saving efficiency) and Zazie Samzun (six saves for a 55% saving efficiency) frustrated China’s attack.

Needing a 14-goal win to provisionally go top of the group and afford a draw against Sweden in the last match to secure the first place in the final standings, France continued to press and went on to clinch their biggest win so far at North Macedonia 2024, 42:15, dominating again with their defence.

France have now qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, returning to this phase of the competition for the first time since 2018. On Tuesday, in the last day of the main round, France will face Sweden, in a decider for the first place in the group.

China, on the other hand, will face Germany, to determine the team which will feature in the Placement Matches 9/12 and which will play in the Placement Matches 13/16, as Germany would seal the third place in the group with a draw.

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Assa Sissoko Dabo (France)