Paraguay finally end losing streak against Greenland

After five straight losses at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023, Paraguay snatched their first win in the last President's Cup group match against Greenland. The 21:19 victory against the 2023 North America and Caribbean Women's Handball Championship winners, pushed Paraguay to the Placement Match 29/30, while Greenland will pit sides with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Placement Match 31/32.

President’s Cup
Group I
Paraguay vs Greenland 21:19 (11:9)

Greenland had a fine start to the game, first getting a 2:0 lead and keeping the same distance for ten minutes, mainly thanks to Rina Moller Lorentzen's saves, who boasted a 75% save efficiency after the first 15 minutes of the match. Yet the poor ball handling from Greenland, with the turnovers mounting, allowed Paraguay to make a comeback.

The South American side spurred a 4:0 run, as Greenland failed to score from the ninth to the 19th minute, and took over their first lead in the game. This morphed into a 9:5 lead after Fatima Ocampos Morel built the wall on her goal. Boosted by great support from the stands, Greenland propelled to a four-scour and narrowed the gap before the break.

Greenland continued in the same rhythm for the first ten minutes of the second half, but they did not have enough energy to maintain it. Paraguay were revitalised after their team time-out in the 40th minute where head coach Marizza Faria urged her players to focus. Paraguay toughened their defensive stance, ensuing easy and quick goals to make a five-goal lead (18:13).

However, Greenland did not let go easily and made yet another comeback, narrowing it down to one goal, four minutes until the buzzer. Dreaming of their historic win at the World Championship, the Greenlandin players were trying everything, even a deep 4-2 defence, but they could not stop Paraguay in the last moment of the match.

Jazmin Mendoza Peralta shone for the side with six goals scored, lifting Paraguay up to their first win at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023, 21:19. Greenland can be proud of their nine out of 14 field players who scored at least once, with hummel Player of the Match Ivalu Cecilie Bjerge leading the pack, netting four times.

Paraguay celebrated with singing and dancing their first win, thus ending their five-game losing streak and will face Kazakhstan in Placement Match 29/30. Greenland will face the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Placement Match 31/32, where both sides will seek their historic first win at the IHF Women's World Championship.

hummel Player of the Match: Ivalu Cecilie Bjerge (Greenland)