Sold-out Ahoy Arena inspires Netherlands to winning start

Co-hosts Netherlands opened their account with a clear win over Argentina at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, 32:25, confirming their credentials for a potential title run.

GROUP E
Netherlands vs Argentina 32:25 (16:11)

Hosting an event is always emotional for any team, more so for the Netherlands, world champions in 2019, with some of the most influential members of that generation, like Estavana Polman and Lois Abbingh, being closer to retirement than their prime.

However, both Polman and Abbingh, as well as the whole Dutch team, were looking forward to this, with mixed emotions and a touch of pressure, as the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam was sold out for the Netherlands’ first match in the competition and their first as the hosts of the IHF Women’s World Championship since 1986.

An orange sea filled the seats in the Ahoy Arena and they celebrated each goal as if it was Netherlands’ last in the final against Spain at Japan 2019, when Lois Abbingh converted a penalty to bring the title for the Dutch side.

But the start was far from perfect, with some missed shots, some turnovers and some lost attacks for the Netherlands, which were up 5:4 after only seven minutes. The plan of Henrik Signell was to rotate his team as much as possible, giving meaningful playing time to all his players.

But the big guns came swinging in the first half, after they were called upon after some key one-on-one saves from Argentina goalkeeper Valentina Menucci, helping the Netherlands settle for a five-goal lead at the break, 16:11, as their attacking efficiency just broke over 50%.

Argentina looked like no pushovers, but their attack had small issues in the start of the second half and this is when the Netherlands really made their mark. Strong in defence and in attack – where she had five goals and two assists – back Kelly Dulfer was instrumental for the co-hosts, while Yara ten Holte had a 44% saving efficiency after 38 minutes in the match.

A 3:0 run, fueled by Dulfer and wings Bo van Wetering and Angela Malestein, finally helped the Dutch side pull away and create their maiden eight-goal lead, 25:17, only for Argentina to rein the European side again, 25:19, as Elke Karsten and Malena Cavo each had four goals by the 48th minute.

Karsten finished the match with seven goals, while all but three of the Dutch side’s outfield players scored at least one goal.

There was nothing that Argentina could do to avoid the loss, but they managed to limit the damage, as the hosts eventually secured a 32:25 win, a good start, but one which will need to be backed up by wins against Austria and Egypt to secure the four points aimed for the main round.

hummel Player of the Match: Kelly Dulfer (Netherlands)