In the battle for the top of the President's Cup Group II, Congo delivered yet another comeback in the last ten minutes of a game and claimed a 24:21 win over Chile, securing their ticket for the Placement Match 25/26, the final of the President's Cup. After their first defeat in this stage of the competition, Chile will end their Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023 journey in the Placement Match 27/28.

President’s Cup Group II
Congo vs Chile 24:21 (8:12)

Right from the start of the match, Chile's goalkeeper and hummel Player of the Match Madeleine Noelia Cortez Fuenzalida proved that she is one of the top goalkeepers in the competition, with another excellent outing. She closed the first 30 minutes with nine saves out of the 16 shots she faced and was the main reason why Chile was in front throughout the whole of the first part of the match. 

Congo were struggling in the attack, converting only 38% of shots, mainly in the first 15 minutes when Chile made their initial 8:3 run. The South American side continued to pounce and created a 12:8 at the break, being clearly in front. The second half brought a fiery start of the Congolese side. With the help of 5-1 defence, goalkeeper Ruth Kodia and left wing Kimberley Lisa Melissa Rutil, the African team stepped up a gear and in the 45th minute reduced the deficit to one goal (16:17). 

As their top scorer in the competition, back Fanta Diagouraga entered the game for the first time in the 35th minute, Congo bounced back and tied the score with 10 minutes to go, with their shooting efficiency increasing to 53%. This prompted a team time-out for the South American side, but that did not help either.

Congo's defensive play kept being a nightmare for Chile and just like against Kazakhstan, Congo capped off their best performance in the last ten minutes of the game. They spurred a 3:0 run for 21:19 and took the lead for the first time, which was the base for their 24:21 win.

On Wednesday, both sides will play their last encounters at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023. Congo will play in the Placement Match 25/26 against the winner of the match between Iceland and the People's Republic of China, while Chile try to redeem themselves and end the World Championship on a high in a Placement Match 27/28. 

hummel Player of the Match: Madeleine Noelia Cortez Fuenzalida (Chile)