Spain secured their maiden semi-finals berth at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship, clinching their sixth win in a row at China 2024, dominating Japan in the fourth quarter-final of the competition, 32:23.

France also secured their semi-finals berth, the fourth in history and the first since 2010, disposing of Germany in a clinical defensive effort, 25:23.

QUARTER-FINALS

• Spain vs Japan 32:23 (17:11)
• France vs Germany 25:23 (15:10)

What happened: Spain were considered one of the dark horses of the competition, but them coming from the W17 EHF Championship, the second European division of the younger age categories. But here, at China 2024, they delivered six fantastic wins, cementing their status as one of the title contenders. And the sixth came in emphatic fashion, where Spain used their superb defence to dominate Japan in the first minutes and never look back.

Goalkeeper Goundo Gassama Cissokho had seven saves – including two crucial one-on-one in fast breaks – for a 37% saving efficiency in the first half, while centre back Marta Regordan Silva, one of the best Spain players in the competition so far, added five goals and one assist. A 10:2 run for Spain basically decided the match, as Japan did not have the firepower and the defensive nous to stop Spain.

A six-goal lead at the break was a buffer enough for Spain to carefully manage in the second half, with Regordan being seconded by another back, Belen Rodriguez Lario, who added seven goals and two assists, helping Spain to their sixth consecutive win and the first semi-finals berth in history at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship. Therefore, Spain, which had previously finished fifth in 2008 and 2010, have registered their best-ever finish in the competition.

France shrugged off their loss against the Netherlands and went back to their winning ways against Japan two days ago, finished first in their group in the main round and ensured that they play against Germany, an opponent which proved their weaknesses in the previous matches. 

Yet here, Germany were in the match throughout most of the 60 minutes played in the International Handball Hall in Chuzhou, never going down by more than five goals. However, with France jumping the gun early, when they took an early 7:3 lead, after 15 minutes, Germany had a lot to work on and tried coming from behind. But a successful comeback was prevented by their number of turnovers – 21 – which was, in the end, a huge help for France.

But it was not for the lack of trying from Germany, whose captain, left back Kim Ott had a great match, with six goals. The European side cut France’s lead to only two goals, 21:19, with eight minutes to go, and by the time the match entered in its final minute, France were only one goal ahead. Prunelle Kingué, the Player of the Match, who scored six times, put another goal past Germany, while France eventually scored the final goal with seven seconds to go, taking a 25:23 win.

France, which made the semi-finals three times, in 2006, 2008 and 2010, the first three editions of the competition, are having a fantastic 2024, where their senior team secured the silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, while their junior team clinched the title in June at the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship.

Stat of the day: 17 - the place Spain finished on in the previous edition of the IHF Women's Youth World Championship, at North Macedonia 2022, winning the President's Cup.

What’s next: France’s path to the trophy will take them in a fiery semi-final against Denmark, while Spain will meet Hungary in the battle for a place in the final, as the only unbeaten teams in the competition face off on Friday.