Montenegro, Denmark, Switzerland and the People's Republic of China each secured their second win at the 2026 IHF Women's Youth World Championship, edging closer to the main round.
 

Group B
Mexico vs Denmark 10:47 (5:24)

After opening their campaign with a hard-fought win over Republic of Korea, Denmark had a much more straightforward task on day two against Mexico.

The Scandinavians raced into a 5:0 lead before Mexico got on the scoresheet in the fifth minute. The North American side soon added another goal, but Denmark's defence then took complete control, allowing very little for the remainder of the half.

Sofie Hansen and Ulrikke Poulsen set the tone in attack, combining for all 10 of Denmark's goals by the time the score reached 10:2. Mexico struggled to break down the Danish defence, while Denmark continued to extend their advantage and headed into the break comfortably in front at 24:5.

The second half followed a similar pattern — both teams scored almost the same number of goals after the break, Denmark 23 and Mexico five. However, the difference remained evident at both ends, as Denmark cruised toward their all-but-assured victory and a door wide open to the main round. Thirteen of Denmark's 14 outfield players got on the scoresheet, while both goalkeepers finished with save efficiencies above 60%.

Mexico's second defeat means they will continue their campaign in the President's Cup, where they will look to claim their first-ever victory at the IHF Women's Youth World Championship. On the final day of the group phase, Mexico face Republic of Korea, while Denmark meet Czechia.

Player of the Match: Sofie Hansen (Denmark)

Group D
Portugal vs Montenegro 28:31 (12:19)

After both teams opened their campaigns with victories, a closely contested encounter was expected, and the opening stages lived up to that expectation. Portugal made the brighter start and held a slender lead throughout the first 15 minutes, but Maša Dubljević once again proved her value between the posts.

The Montenegro goalkeeper repeatedly turned her saves into fast-break opportunities, helping her side overturn the deficit and move 10:7 ahead midway through the first half. Portugal struggled to respond, and even an early timeout failed to halt Montenegro's momentum.

As Montenegro's confidence continued to grow, so did the gap on the scoreboard. The Balkan side spurred a 6:0 unanswered run to open up a 19:10 advantage, putting themselves firmly in control of the contest.

However, the comfortable lead seemed to take some of the edge off Montenegro's game, as mistakes started to creep in. Portugal gradually worked their way back into contention, with Catarina Bernardino and Maria Rita Lopes leading the comeback. The deficit was cut to 23:26 in the 45th minute, and Portugal kept the pressure on until the closing stages, reducing it to 30:28 with just over a minute remaining.

In those closing moments, Montenegro held their nerve to withstand the late scare and celebrate a second consecutive victory, leaving themselves on the brink of the main round. Player of the Match Andrea Dragnić starred with 11 goals and three assists, while Dubljević followed up her opening-day performance with another 14 saves. Bernardino and Lopes finished with eight goals each for Portugal.

Portugal will conclude the group stage against the Netherlands with their main round hopes still alive, while Montenegro face Argentina.

Player of the Match: Andrea Dragnić (Montenegro)
 

Group F
Uruguay vs People’s Republic of China 22:34 (8:18)

Two out of two for the People’s Republic of China, as the Asian side built up from their previous win against Kazakhstan to improve their winning streak and make a huge step towards the main round of the 2026 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship.

The Asian side showed some good attacking skills once again, after putting 43 goals past Kazakhstan, with a strong outing in the first half against Uruguay, before they started shuffling the pack and giving meaningful time on the court for other players.

Two 4:0 unanswered runs helped China take a healthy lead at the break, with Uruguay once again seeing their turnovers preventing them from doing more, just as it happened in the match against Romania.

Only one day after scoring eight goals against Kazakhstan, Shuoyan Zhang was once again China’s top scorer, with six goals, followed by Jingwen Zhang, who had five goals, as Uruguay’s goalkeepers failed to break the 20% threshold in this match, failing to stop China.

The battle was won by China in defence, while in the attack the two sides also had opposing fortunes, with Uruguay once again stopping at under 30% in their attacking efficiency. 

With their second win in as many matches, 34:22, China made a big step towards the main round and will seal their place if Romania win against Kazakhstan, with the two sides battling for the top place in the group. Uruguay will be out if Romania win, but they will still have a chance to seal their first win, as they meet Kazakhstan.

Player of the Match: Shuoyan Zhang (People's Republic of China)

Group H
Algeria vs Switzerland 14:28 (7:13)

Seen as strong favourites against Algeria, Switzerland lived up to expectations and claimed their second straight win at Romania 2026. Provided Serbia do not lose against Slovenia later today, the Swiss team may officially secure their main round berth with one group match still to play.

The Europeans started with a 4:0 run before Algeria scored their first goal nearly eight minutes into the match. The African side lost possession repeatedly, and Switzerland continued to dominate, leading 8:3 and later 12:4. However, a string of Swiss turnovers allowed their rivals to close the first half with a 3:1 run, cutting the gap to six goals.

After the break, Algeria tried to put pressure on Switzerland again but struggled against the Swiss defence, committing 33 turnovers and posting a below-par 42% shooting efficiency. The Europeans fared better in attack, converting 67% of their shots, and cruised to a 14-goal victory.

Lauryn Mierzwa, who had scored 14 goals in Switzerland's opener against Slovenia, netted just four this time. Instead, it was Elina Egli who led the Swiss attack with seven goals, ensuring her team maintained a perfect record at the competition.

Player of the Match: Elina Egli (Switzerland)