The morning session of the penultimate matchday of the men’s and women’s beach handball competitions at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Thursday (12 November) saw the medal matches confirmed as the host nation suffered a double disappointment, losing both of their semi-finals.

But the four semi-finals played in sweltering conditions at Saly Beach West showed beach handball to its best – technical quality, improvisation, fair play, fun and emotion. All four went to dramatic shoot-outs.

For information on how to watch and follow beach handball at Dakar 2026, click HERE.

Day 4, Session 1 – Thursday 12 November 2026

Women’s competition

Results: Semi-Finals

Spain v Senegal 2-1 (31:28, 18:20, SO 15:14)

• Instant classic in first semi-final of the day as host nation take world champions all the way but fall just short
• A high-scoring first set saw nearly 60 points scored with Senegal having the chance to draw even late on (8th minute) but Spain prevailed as time outs late on from both teams increased the drama and Spain’s single point with one second left ensured the first set was theirs
• Latara NDIOYE had to sit out the second set after picking up two suspensions
• With their gold medal journey hanging in the balance, Senegal pulled out all the stop in an eventful second set, won by a golden goal from Aita NDIAYE after Spain were adjudged to have fouled during the restart
• In the shoot-out, both teams scored their first seven shots in a row to increase the tension and drama inside a packed, colourful and noisy centre court at Saly Beach West
• Both teams missed their eighth shots, but Spain would not be denied as Iris SANTANA CACABELOS single point punished Senegal’s second miss to move into the final
• Marta BOUZO ALONSO top-scored in the game, with 18 points

France v Uruguay 1-2 (18:20, 25:16, SO 6:7)

• Second semi-final also went to shoot-out after Uruguay had won the first set and France dominated the second
• France’s Eloise LABORDE had equalised in the first set with just 47 seconds left (18:18), but Nina BAUVILLARD caused a penalty, with Julietta VILLAR LAGO scoring after the buzzer from the line
• Despite leading early on, Uruguay succumbed to France in the second set, the Europeans dominating as LABORDE (total 23 points in game) showed her prowess in front of goal
• The shoot-out saw France miss their third and fourth shots thanks to the attentions of key Uruguay defender Julia ROTUNDO BIANCHI which allowed a single point from Julietta VILLAR LAGO (17 points in the game) to secure the win

Men’s competition
Results: Semi-Finals

Germany v Senegal 2-1 (13:12, 12:13, SO 10:8)

• Early direct red card for Germany’s Mads KRUEGER means Europeans had to adapt 
• Low-scoring, defensive game sees Dave BIYAH’s golden goal win the first set for Germany, while Senegal turn it around in the second
• Mamour DIOP’s single point with three seconds remaining appears to take it to shoot-out, but Germany call a time-out from which Peter SZABADY cannot capitalise, missing his shot
• Senegal’s Mouhamed THIAM is the unlucky player in the shoot-out, seeing his first attempt saved by Lennart OTTE and then after a Germany missed and all other shots scored, he sees OTTE save from him again at the beginning of the second round

Hungary v Brazil 1-2 (20:22, 24:18, SO 14:16)

• Brazil take third win against Hungary in a year after beating them in the 2025 world championship bronze medal match and Dakar 2026 preliminary group
• First set goes the way of the South Americans as Brazil’s Giovani BRANDAO scores with 40 seconds left (22:20) and, despite a time-out from Hungary, they cannot bring it level as they turnover the ball
• Hungary power through the second, never in trouble, to take it to a shoot-out
• Brazil and Hungary score their first seven shots and the South American side put the pressure on   Aron MALITS to score the European side’s eighth, but goalkeeper Kaike SILVEIRA puts MALITS off and he shoots wide
• BRANDAO top-scores with 18 points

Day 4, Session 2 – Thursday 12 November 2026
All times UTC, local

Wom’s competition

Placement Match 5/6
Croatia v Mexico 2-1 (24:14, 18:21, SO 9:8)

• Croatia end Dakar 2026 with fifth place finish
• Mexico close the gap on their European counterparts after losing their preliminary group game (25:14, 22:10)
• Shoot-out saw just one miss from Mexico, punished by Croatia’s Petra GUDELJ

Placement Match 7/8
Kenya v People’s Republic of China 0-2 (20:21, 14:26)

• China finish in seventh, repeating their world championship win of last year against the African side
• Kenya come within one shot of taking their first set at Dakar 2026, Pauline MUSAA missing her chance in the last second

Men's competition

Placement Match 5/6
Thailand v Tunisia 0-2 (14:18, 10:20)

• Tunisia equal 2025 world championship ranking with fifth place
• African side raced to a 6:0 lead inside two minutes of the first set and never looked back, taking the second clearly

Placement Match 7/8
Puerto Rico v Cook Islands 1-2 (20:14, 16:17, SO 2-5)

• Cook Islands make history and win their first, competitive game at global international level
• Puerto Rico had eased to a first set win, but were pegged back in the second after the Oceania side exploded from the break, racing to a 10:2 lead after just 150 seconds
• The game was all-square (12:12) in the eighth minute, but the Cook Islands showed resolve to go ahead by four (12:16) and hold their nerve, just
• In the shoot-out, Tangianau TEPURETU scored the winning point after Puerto Rico missed three shots
• Puerto Rico end Dakar 2026 with two sets won