Examining Group D: Reigning champions start their campaign among favourites

Defending the title at the IHF Women’s World Championship is a tough ask, with only three teams – the German Democratic Republic, the Soviet Union and, more recently, Russia – achieving that feat in the history of the competition.

Therefore, the Netherlands’ challenge will be big, especially with several powerhouses ready to pounce when Spain 2021 throws off in December. However, the Dutch side will be able to enter the competition in a perfect, gradual manner, facing Puerto Rico and Uzbekistan, before the decided against fellow European side Sweden.

There have been major changes for the Netherlands in the past two years, after the Dutch side had a dip in their form after securing their first-ever IHF Women’s World Championship gold medal. 

After finishing sixth at the EHF EURO 2020 last December and fifth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this summer, the Netherlands changed their coach, with Emmanuel Mayonnade being replaced by Monique Tijsterman, who will be leading the side on an interim basis.

After suffering two major injuries in the last two years, the Japan 2019 MVP, back Estavana Polman, has been named in the provisional 34-player squad for Spain 2021, yet she has not played a single minute since May 2021 due to the knee injury she suffered while in action for her club, Danish side Team Esbjerg.

However, the Netherlands will be buoyed by their head-to-head record in competitive matches against Sweden, having lost only two of the seven games they played against the Scandinavian side since 2001. 

In fact, the Dutch side did not concede a loss against Sweden since the Women’s EHF EURO 2010, when the emerging European powerhouse dropped the game (18:25) in front of a Swedish side who went on to secure the silver medal, the best-ever performance in a tournament.

The Dutch team also won the last two competitive matches, 33:30 at the EHF EURO 2016 and 24:21 in the bronze-medal game at the 2017 IHF Women’s World Championship, after a strong outing from left back Lois Abbingh, the Japan 2019 top scorer, who scored eight goals. However, they also lost once in the competition against Sweden, at Italy 2001, when the Netherlands were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 23:21 loss.

Sweden are also on the up, after finishing fourth at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, their best-ever finish in the competition. Despite missing key centre back Isabelle Gullden, who retired from international handball last December, the European side were one of the biggest surprises in the competition this summer.

They did not play against Uzbekistan and Puerto Rico, boasting a mixed record against Asian sides at the IHF Women’s World Championship. They lost once against the People Republic of China and the Republic of Korea, but won against Japan and Thailand.

Sweden also boast a perfect record against teams from North America and the Caribbean, winning against Canada and the United States of America, which makes them favourites against less experienced sides like Uzbekistan and Puerto Rico.

After finishing fifth at the 2021 AHF Asian Women’s Handball Championship, the Uzbek team qualified for the second time for an IHF Women’s World Championship. They will make their comeback at the flagship handball event, as they will play on the global stage for the first time since 1997.

Uzbekistan dropped games against the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan and Hong Kong in the group phase of the 2021 AHF Asian Women’s Handball Championship, only to bounce back in the 5/8 Placement Round matches, when they took a 34:26 win against Jordan and a 28:25 win against Hong Kong.

24 years ago, the Uzbek side lost four matches – against Croatia, Norway, France and Belarus –, drawing the other one against Canada (18:18), recording a -98 goal difference in five games.

Their most important game will be against Puerto Rico, another side who secured only their second-ever berth at the IHF Women’s World Championship.

At Denmark 2015, when they made their Women’s World Championship debut, Puerto Rico secured only one win, against Asian side Kazakhstan (30:27), after being steamrolled by Russia, Norway, Spain and Romania on their way to a -109 goal difference, only conceding losses against European sides.

The Puerto Rican side also dropped the two games played in the President’s Cup, against Argentina (14:28) and Japan (15:44), ranking 20th in the final standings.