Romania sealed their third win at the 25th IHF Women’s World Championship, 43:20 against Puerto Rico, but their prospects to progress to the quarter-finals did not improve, with Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden still far away in the standings.

Puerto Rico managed to limit the gap, conceding their lowest loss at Spain 2021 after heavy defeats against the three powerhouses that fight for the first two places in the group.

MAIN ROUND GROUP II
Romania vs Puerto Rico 43:20 (20:9)

Conceding a 40-goal loss, a 38-goal loss and a 36-goal loss was hardly a good resume for Puerto Rico at Spain 2021, yet the North America and Caribbean champions were still enjoying their experience at their second-ever IHF Women’s World Championship before their fifth match against Romania.

The difference between Camilo Estevez’s side and the European powerhouses was there to be seen in the first games, yet this felt a bit different, with Romania resting captain Crina Pintea. It helped Puerto Rico seal the lead for the first time against a European side at Spain 2021 (2:1), but it was game over from that moment on.

Romania had their share of missed shots, recording a 69% efficiency in the first half, and turning the ball over three times. Swiftly, but promptly, the same pattern of the previous Puerto Rico games emerged, as Romania’s wings started to score at free will.

Right wing Alexandra Badea took the court for the first time at Spain 2021 and scored five times in the first half, seconded by left wings Nicoleta Dinca and Alexandra Dindiligan, who combined for five goals, as the lead started to grow bigger and bigger.

By half-time, Romania were cruising, leading 20:9, after coach Adrian Vasile called a time-out and summoned his team to improve in attack, after scoring only seven times in the first 16 minutes.

They duly delivered from that moment on, with a 6:0 run to start the second half prompting a time-out from Puerto Rico’s coach Camilo Estevez. From that moment on, Puerto Rico grew more confident, but still could not find easy ways to Romania’s goal posts, as goalkeeper Diana Ciuca saved eight shots for a 44% efficiency.

Eventually, Romania sealed another big win at Spain 2021 (43:20), with Alexandra Badea and Alexandra Dindiligan, their two wings, combining for 13 goals, the top performances in the match.

Romania are still fourth in the group, with four points and their chances slim to progress to the quarter-finals, needing the Netherlands to stumble in the last two games of the main round, against Kazakhstan and Norway.

On the other side, Puerto Rico will try to avoid the last place in the group on Monday, when they face Kazakhstan, with another win sealing their best-ever performance at the IHF Women’s World Championship.

hummel Player of the Match: Lorena Ostase, Romania

Photo: RFEBM / Á. Bermejo