60 of 84 matches of the Women’s World Championship in Serbia have been played, the preliminary round came to an end on Friday (13 December) evening – without any draw. Now eight teams struggle for the positions 17 to 24 in the President’s Cup in Nis on Sunday and Monday, while on the same dates the knock-out stage is starting with the eighth-finals for those 16 top ranked teams.

Four continents are still represented in the eighth-finals, including all continental champions Brazil (Pan-America), Angola (Africa), Korea (Asia) and Montenegro (Europe). As expected all twelve European teams made their way to the knock-out stage – so for the first time since the implementation of the President’s Cup no European team will play in this part of the competition. And like in 2011, Brazil are the only Non-European group winner, while both 2011 finallists, defending world champions Norway and runners-ups France topped their groups as well the Germans.

At least four European teams will make it to the quarter-finals, as four All-European fixtures will take place on Sunday and Monday in Belgrade and Novi Sad.

France, Norway and Germany finished their group matches with a clean record as well as Pan American champions Brazil. Reigning EHF EURO champions Montenegro ranked second in the French group A like host Serbia below Brazil in group B.

Eleven of those eighth-finallists had made it already to the first stage of the knock-out stage in Brazil. All semi-finallists of the 2011 World Championship, the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2012 European Championship are still present in the knock-out stage.

Group A:

Thanks to their brilliant defence and goalkeeper Amandine Leynaud, France turned their crucial matches against Montenegro and Korea around in the last minutes. “We were very lucky,” said new coach Alain Portes after beating the EHF EURO champions by the decisive goal for the 17:16 victory scored 20 seconds before the end.

Montenegro ranked second by winning four games ahead of the Asian champions Korea, which took a record by beating the Dominican Republic by 51:20. Netherlands easily beat their Non-European rivals to clinch their berth for the knock-out stage, while – as expected – the Dominicans and DR Congo continue in the President’s Cup.

Group B:

They danced samba in Nis: The Pan American champions Brazil including eight players and coach Morten Soubak of Hypo Niederösterreich were dominant – and proved their medal ambitions by victories against host Serbia and former World Champions Denmark. “We are ready for a big things,” said current World Handball Player of the Year, Alexandra do Nascimento. Host Serbia – boosted by their frenetic spectators –took the decisive, but close win against Denmark to rank second in the end, while Japan took the fourth spot to make it to the Last 16 ahead of China and Algeria.

Group  C:

Defending World Champions Norway decided the final ranking of this group already in their opener against Olympic bronze medallist Spain, but the 22:20 was really lucky. The Iberians won the remaining four matches – including a very special first half against Paraguay, which ended by 14:0. Poland ranked third, while the African champions Angola also booked the ticket for the Last 16 ahead of the Pan Americans from Argentina and Paraguay.

Group D:

From zero to hero was the title of the German campaign in Novi Sad. After missing the knock-out stage two years ago at Brazil, now the team of Danish born coach Heine Jensen surprised all their opponents by winning five times in a dominant way, including the crucial matches against Romania and Hungary. The Germans were boosted by the in total 45 goals of Susann Müller, current top scorer of the competition. After losing the neighbour’s duel against Romania by 17:21, EHF EURO 2012 bronze medallist Hungary finished below the 2010 EHF EURO bronze medallist but ahead of the Czech Republic. Tunisia and Australia continue in the President’s cup.

Those are the fixtures for the eighth-finals to be carried out on Sunday and Monday in Belgrade and Novi Sad:

Sunday, 15 December:

Belgrade:

18:00 hrs. local time: France vs. Japan

20:45 hrs. local time: Denmark vs. Montenegro

Novi Sad:

17:30 hrs. local time: Germany vs. Angola

20:15 hrs. local time: Poland vs. Romania

Monday, 16 December:

Belgrade:

18:00 hrs. local time: Brazil vs. Netherlands

20.45 hrs. local time: Korea vs. Serbia

Novi Sad:

17:30 hrs. local time: Hungary – Spain

20:15 hrs. local time: Norway vs. Czech Republic

The quarter-finals will be played on Wednesday, 18 December in Belgrade and Novi Sad, followed by the semi-finals on 20 December in Belgrade and the bronze final and final on 22 December in Belgrade.