Chile claim second straight win in President's Cup

A strong second-half finish from chile secured a 27:23 win against Kazakhstan and extended their winning streak in the President's Cup Group II after previously beating the Islamic Republic of Iran, 30:20.

President’s Cup Group II
Chile vs Kazakhstan 27:23 (13:11)

After losing against Kazakhstan, 26:32, at the 2009 IHF Women's World Championship, Chile avenged that result almost 14 years later. From the first minute, it was a well-balanced game with trading leads throughout most of the first half, as both sides failed to get a proper rhythm going. Goalkeepers Madeleine Noelia Cortez Fuenzalida from Chile and Kazakhstan's Damira Zhaparova were keeping the game tied, not allowing either side to gain a significant lead in the game.

However, the first shift in the momentum came after the 16th minute, when Kazakhstan failed to score for eight minutes allowing Chile to come from trailing by one (7:8) to a three-goal lead with the help of line player Catalina Francisca Moreno Córdova.

Kazakhstan pushed it until the end and took advantage of Chile's turnovers to tie the score, 20:20, with 13 minutes to go, as Zlata Zvyagina converted a crucial fast break. But Kazakhstan could not keep the pace on the same level, showing signs of fatigue and completely missed out of the last ten minutes of the game.

Valeska Lovera Salas led the game, bu scoring nine in total and took Chile on a five-goal lead after a 5:0 unanswered run, building on a great performance between the posts of the hummel Player of the Match Madeleine Noelia Cortez Fuenzalida. With only three minutes on the clock, there was not much what Kazakhstan could do other than soothe their fifth straight defeat at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023.

In the last round of President's Cup Group II Chile will fight against Congo for the first place in the group and thus for the chance of featuring in the final of the President's Cup, while Kazakhstan will seek their first win with the world flagship competition against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

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