In President's Cup Group I, Croatia and Paraguay took their second consecutive wins, this time against Uruguay and the Islamic Republic of Iran respectively. On Monday, the two teams will face off in a direct duel for first place in the group.

President's Cup Group I
Croatia vs Uruguay 34:25 (19:10)

Two days earlier, Croatia had defeated Iran with ease, 38:9, but this time the only European side in the President’s Cup faced more resistance, especially early in the match. Uruguay, who hoped to bounce back from a frustrating defeat against continental rivals Paraguay, looked determined from the start, and the teams were tied at 5:5 ten minutes into the game.

However, Croatia gradually found their rhythm and started to pull clear. Goalkeeper Lucija Bešen made some important saves, and centre back Dejana Milosavljević stepped up in attack. She scored all her eight goals before the break and added four assists, while the Balkan side enjoyed a 7:0 run between the 18th and 26th minutes to lead by nine goals at half-time.

In the 35th minute, Croatia held their biggest advantage of the match at 23:10, a 13-goal gap. They then rotated their squad and slowed down somewhat, but had no problems keeping the game under control. Nevertheless, Uruguay continued to fight, and the South Americans scored 25 goals – their highest tally in a single match at Germany/Netherlands 2025. They will now look for their first win of the tournament against Iran on Monday.

hummel Player of the Match: Paula Eastman (Uruguay)

Islamic Republic of Iran vs Paraguay 20:33 (11:17)

Compared to their previous match against Croatia, Iran improved in attack, with left back Fatemeh Merikh scoring 11 goals – more than her entire team managed two days before. However, her impact was not enough for the team’s success, as Paraguay performed better collectively.

Merikh opened the scoring, but it was Iran’s only lead of the game. Paraguay quickly took the initiative with a 4:0 run that helped them pull clear. The South Americans were the superior side in both defence and attack and led 13:7 in the 23rd minute. Iran tried to fight back, using a 4:0 run to cut the gap, but Paraguay closed the first half with a 4:0 surge of their own.

In the second half, Paraguay went on to dominate. Goalkeeper Maria Machuca finished with 11 saves and a 37% save rate, while Fiorella Enriquez and Valheria Valdovinos were their leading scorers with six goals each. hummel Player of the Match Maria Fernandez also had a crucial impact, adding nine assists to her two goals.

With 11 minutes to play, Paraguay opened a double-digit lead at 27:17. Iran, who have struggled in attack throughout the tournament, ultimately reached the 20-goal mark, but the South Americans comfortably clinched the victory.

hummel Player of the Match: Maria Fernandez (Paraguay)