African champions through to main round with clear win over Korea

Captain Albertina Kassoma led by example, scoring nine for her Angola side as they handed Korea their second defeat at Germany/Netherlands 2025 and with it, secured the second for her side and passage through to the main round of the IHF Women's World Championship.

Group H
Angola vs Republic of Korea 34:23 (13:9)

Traditionally the battle between two continental champions, but with Korea’s traditional focus on the Olympic Games, the continental title was lost as they started their new Olympic cycle.

Key to that progression of new players are the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship winning players – Lee Hyewon, Cha Seoyeon and Kim Minseo, under the guidance of coach Lee Kyechung, himself a world championship winner, having won the 2014 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship with Korea in Croatia.

And the gulf in difference was evident, not least led by Kassoma, appearing in her sixth world championship. Standing at 1,85m, the Rapid Bucuresti player was head and shoulders above the Korean defence who were not able to cope with her physical presence on the line.

In attack, Korea’s own physical presence of the past decade, Ryu Eun Hee, is no longer with the team having retired and Korea are now finding their way through to coping without her.

Korea had taken an early lead (4:2, 4:3), but a break in the game just after the 11th minute to make some small repairs to the court markings seemed to knock them off their stride and Angola pushed forward, Kassoma deadly in attack as Korea could not cope – just three saves at their first time out (22nd minute) highlighting the ease of which the African side could score.

This was indicative of the remainder of the half as they outscored their opponents 10:5 to turnaround the deficit and take a four-goal half-time lead.

Down the other end of the court, Korea’s attack failed to break the Angolan wall down, who will relish the chance to take on Olympic champions Korea in their final match on Monday (1 December), while Korea face continental rivals Kazakhstan in what will likely be a play-off for both the teams to move into the main round, should the Kazakh side lose to Norway in the late game tonight.

After an innocuous collision late on, Hyewon Lee was taken off on a stretcher after a medical pause, with Angola going ahead by 10 (31:21) in the 55th minute as Angola goalkeeper Marta Samuel Alberton recorded her 18th save (45% save ratio) to pick up the best player award.

hummel Player of the Match: Marta Samuel Alberto (Angola)