Spain won the President’s Cup at the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, winning the Placement Match 17/18 against Angola with an excellent defensive display, on their way to a 24:18 win.

In the other matches played early on Friday at North Macedonia 2024, Algeria avoided finshing last with a 22:21 win after penalties against Algeria, while Argentina, Brazil and Guinea also finished the competition on a high.

PLACEMENT MATCHES 17/18
Spain vs Angola 24:18 (12:10)

In their previous appearances at this level, Spain won the President's Cup at Hungary 2018. And six years later, they ranked 17th again, lifting the trophy following a win against the African champions Angola, 24:18.

The European side relied on a good defence in the President's Cup final, conceding just 18 goals. Their goalkeeper Aida Fernandez Del Rio contributed a lot to her team's success with her 41% save rate, while her teammate Ugazi Manterola led the Spanish attack, scoring five goals. 

Angola created a 3:1 lead early in the match, but Spain drew level soon, and an open exchange followed for most of the first half, as no team could pull clear by more than one goal. Spain had a better shot efficiency, but the Africans, just like in previous matches, heavily relied on their leader Bernadeth Belo, who scored seven of her team's 10 goals before the break.

Only in the closing minutes of the first half, two consecutive goals from left wing Manterola helped Spain to take a two-goal lead, 12:10, at half-time. And early in the second half, the Europeans picked up where they left off, increasing the gap to four goals at 16:12.

The unstoppable Belo did not give up, ultimately adding 12 goals to her tally at North Macedonia 2024 and scoring exactly two thirds of her team's goals against Spain. She has also consolidated the second place in the top goal scorer standings, having now a 60-goal tally at North Macedonia 2024.

However, the European side was better as a team, and they went on to dominate until the end, ultimately claiming a well-deserved victory. 

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Eider Poles Olucha (Spain)

PLACEMENT MATCH 19/20
Brazil vs Japan 38:32 (23:15)

Brazil delivered their best performance at the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship in the Placement Match 19/20, when they faced Japan and delivered a 38:32 win, scoring their largest number of goals in 14 years in the competition, after putting 47 past Australia in 2010.

Japan enjoyed a brighter start to the match, taking a 4:2 lead, but a 7:1 run from Brazil, spurred by backs Lorenna Loyane De Souza Santos Silva and left wing Ana Dos Santos, who have combined for five goals, turned the match on its head, and set up the tone for the winner.

By half time, Brazil’s 9:5 lead morphed into an eight-goals one, 23:15, as the Japan defence failed to stop the South American side, despite roaming freely and shifting from 5-1 to 3-3 at times.

Nothing seemed to work for the Asian side, which started the second half better, with a 5:1 run, but failed to keep the momentum, as Brazil replied immediately with their own 5:0 run, inspired by right back Julia Rodrigues, who scored seven times in the 60 minutes against Japan and was named the Alkaloid Player of the Match.

The Asian side could not bounce back and eventually conceded a 32:38 loss, finishing on the 20th place, the worst placement since the 21st place at Czechia 2012. On the other side, Brazil improved from the previous edition, when they ended up on the 22nd place, coming 19th this time, but they will surely lament some losses, especially the maiden one, 26:27, against Romania, which sent them to the President’s Cup

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Julia Rodrigues (Brazil)

PLACEMENT MATCH 21/22
Serbia vs Argentina (11:12)

Four saves from goalkeeper Candelaria Cuadrado, who finished the first half with a 41% saving efficiency, and a free-flowing attack saw Argentina take an early 7:2 lead against Serbia, in the Placement Match 21/22, with the European side failing to deliver a well-rounded attacking performance in the first 15 minutes of the match. In fact, Serbia failed to score for the first nine minutes, just like they did against Algeria earlier at North Macedonia 2024.

Yet once again, Serbia proved that they have fighting spirit, riding an excellent match from goalkeeper Mina Savić, who replaced Teodora Vranic after 12 minutes, and had a 50% saving efficiency at the break, when Serbia bounced back and cut the South American champions’ lead to a single goal, 11:12.

Serbia tied the score, but then Argentina’s left back Sofia Gull Querin took over, scoring four of her team’s last six goals, being the fulcrum of Argentina’s late 3:0 run, which eventually sealed their win, helping the South American side pull through after a dominating start of the match.

Gull Querin, a star in the making, finished the match with eight goals and improved her overall tally in the competition to 42 goals, which should be enough for a top-10 placement, as Argentina kept their cool in defence and did not concede in the last attack, to seal a 27:26 win.

The South American side finished on the 21st place, while Serbia ended 22nd, conceding their worst finish in four appearances at the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship.

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Nataša Ćetković (Serbia)

PLACEMENT MATCH 23/24
Tunisia vs Guinea 21:22 (10:10)

Guinea had a hard time against  fellow African side Tunisia and could only muster a 22:21 win, just enough to celebrate 23rd place, the same placement they had at Slovenia 2022. Tunisia, on the other hand, were not able to find a solution and had to accept their worst-ever finish in eight IHF Women's Junior World Handball Championship appearances.

It was not the best start from both teams, but Guinea were the one looking less nervous and opene a 4:1 lead after six minutes. Tunisia's eight turnovers and four saves by Guinea's goalkeeper Fatoumata Soumah left them reeling.

However, Guinea did not use their start as a springboard and were left goalless for five minutes. It all led to Tunisia finally finding their rhythm and with the help of Houd Trabelessi and Houda Rmiza managed to tie the score, 7:7, after 20 minutes.

Tunisia's 5-1 defence on moments made Guinea struggle in attack and Tunisia got to their first lead in the contest. By the halftime break and further to the 40th minute in the second half, it was a nip-and-tuck game, with Guinea holding a slight advantage.

The pivotal moment of the match came between the 45th and 53rd minute, as Guinea opened a 21:17 lead, but it turned out it was not unassailable. In the next four minutes, Guinea failed to score and were seriously put under pressure. At the same time, Tunisia found their impetus, backed by the goalkeeper Ilef Aya Boubaker and cut the gap to 21:22 with only a minute to go.

They further made Guinea sweat with shifting defence and one-on-one duels came in the position to have the last attack in the game which would push both teams into the penalties drama. Almost with the buzzer left back Emna Sfaxi propelled a powerful shot but from the post, it bounced out and left Tunisians disappointed, conceding a 22:21 loss.

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Mayelie Soumah (Guinea)

PLACEMENT MATCH 31/32
Algeria vs Mexico 24:23 a.p. (9:11; 19:19)

Algeria mounted a comeback and secured a win on the last day after penalty shootout drama against Mexico, avoiding the last place at the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship. The Mexican side were just moments away from celebrating their first win at North Macedonia 2024, but were left disappointed with second straight last place.

Mexico had a blistering start, spurring a 4-0 run and leaving Algeria without a goal scored for ten minutes. The main reason for Mexico's slender advantage was Algeria’s goalkeeper, Zineb Yousra Haddad, who saved eight times out of 13 attempts in the first 15 minutes of the game.

The goalkeeper kept delivering and entirely melted Mexico's lead, as centre back Inea Aissa tied the output (6:6) in the 22nd minute. Despite Algeria finding their momentum in the attack, Mexico played the ball long and stepped up a gear in the closing stages of the first half.

The 2023 IHF Trophy U19 – North America and the Caribbean winners set the fulcrum in their defence and were off to a new 4-0 goal run to start the second half, restoring their initial lead. Crucial for that 10:6 on the scoreboard was Dahena Paz Corral's fiery performance.

After the restart, the momentum changed. Algeria tightened in defence and mounted a comeback. In only eight minutes they got to their first lead in the game (14:13) and further stretched it to 16:14. Mexico did not give up and tried to leapfrog their opponents with 3-2-1 and 5-1 defence. 

It turned out to be a low-scoring second half, especially as we teams got closer to the final buzzer. In the 47th minute, Algeria had a narrow 18:17 lead, but Mexico levelled moments later and we had ten minutes without a goal scored, as nervousness and lack of energy was visible on both sides.

Dahena Paz Coral netted what seemed to be crucial, but Inea Aissa found a way through Mexico's defence in passive play and scored her fifth for the final 19:19. Mexico did have a chance to try and shoot for the win again, but they wasted the time. It was time for the penalties drama.

In the first set of five penalties, each team missed two times. In the second round of penalties, Zineb Yousra Haddad read Mayra Hernandez Garcia's intention and saved the seven-metre shot for the Algerian celebration, taking a 22:21 win, only one day after conceding a loss in the same manner, on penalties, against Chile.

Alkaloid Player of the Match: Dahena Yamileth Paz Corral (Mexico)