Russia and Angola are the first teams to qualify for the eight-finals. The defending champion defeated Iceland 30:19, whilst the African Champion was the lucky winner over Korea. Russia will face the winner of the match France vs. Sweden in the next stage, whereas Angola competes with the winner of the match Denmark vs. Japan for reaching the semi-finals.

Korea – Angola 29:30 (13:13)

The first match of the eight-finals in Santos between Korea and Angola was a really thrilling one, which Angola won 30:29 after a hard struggle. The African team will now go to the quarter-finals against the winner of the match between Denmark and Japan. In the beginning of the match Angola had the better start and was in the lead by 3:0 (3.). But after that the competitor from Korea caught up and balanced the game. Now it was the expected knock-out match between two equally strong teams. It was thus almost logical that the encounter was a draw at half-time (13:13), although it took Korea nearly 28 minutes to come to an even result (12:12). The second half started with two goals for Korea and their first lead in this match. But the team from Africa struck back and restored the balanced score immediately (15:15 after 35 minutes). Over the next twenty-one minutes neither of both teams was able to build up a lead with more than a one-goal difference, with the exception of the 47th minute, when Angola was leading 23:21. But that only seemed to be a brief episode. The match entered into a thrilling final phase. Four minutes before the end Daniela Azenaide Carlos scored for 29:27 for Angola. Korea was down for the count, when Angola's goalkeeper Maria Odeth Tavares defused a penalty shot after 57:11. Angola seemed to have a match ball, but Korea again struck back. It was 29:28 for Angola, but then Luisa Kiala scored for 30:28 just 14 seconds before the end. Korea was not the worse but the less fortunate team on this day. Best scorer of the Asian team was Im Jeong Choi (ten goals), Marcelina Kiala scored six times for Angola. The assistant coach of the Angolan team, Vivaldo Francisco Eduardo, said: "Angola has never won against Germany or Korea during a major tournament. But today we trained the players not only physically but also psychologically.” Carolina Martene Morais, player with number seven, stated: "It was a really hard game, but our team is strong enough to go to the quarter-finals.”

Russia – Iceland 30:19 (15:12)

Thanks to an improvement of 100 per cent after the break Russia was the first team to reach the quarter-finals. The favourite outdistanced the bravely fighting “geyser girls” in the final stage after having a huge piece of work until the 45th minute. Top scorers were

Iceland was the first team to keep up with Russia for a whole half-time. They were even leading sometimes against the favourite thanks to their great fighting spirit, goalkeeper Gudny Asmundsdottir and their strong wing and line players. But minute by minute it became harder for them to break through this Russian defence wall, solid as concrete. On the other hand the Russians seemed to be nervous in attack, missing unexpectedly many chances. But after the 10:10 they improved and secured a three-goal margin at the break. Again their back-court snipers like Liudmila Postnova, Anna Levina or Elena Davydenko were unstoppable. And goalkeeper Anna Sedoykina saved eight shots in the first 30 minutes.

But this result was not half the battle for the defending champion. Iceland was still playing full of confidence, as they had already reached more than expected by reaching the eight-finals - and they did not have anything to lose.

But when Russia changed their defence tactics to a more offensive one, Iceland lacked ideas to come close to the goal and was always close to passive play. In the 38th minute Russia had to replace their best defence player Nadeshda Mourawjewa due to a hip injury. And after Mourawjewa's treatment, Iceland was afloat again to catch up to 16:18. So the time had come for the Russian team captain Liudmila Postnova to take the responsibility. Scoring twice and preparing another Bliznova goal, she paved the winner’s way at the score of 21:16. And when Olga Chernoivanenko hit the back of the net to 23:16, the resistance of the “geyser girls” was broken at least in the 49th minute, even if they were still heads up on the field. Thanks to a double strike of Turei Russian they even increased the lead to ten goals in minute 56 (28:18) – for the bravely fighting Icelanders this difference was too large, but they were chanceless after the break.

But Russia was too powerful and strong for Iceland, again having the advantage of more alternatives than their opponent.

 

Statements after the match:

Jewgeny Trefilow, coach Russia: I was not as optimistic as my players, as our defence failed sometimes. Aside I was not convinced in attack. The problem was that my players did not hear or understand me. Sometimes it is difficult with my ladies. Looking upon the quarter-finals I believe that we will meet France, and as the French coach is already saying that they want to beat us, let’s wait and see.

 

Liudmila Postnova, player Russia: We played very well, and we knew after their surprising victories that Iceland is difficult to play. After the break we accelerated and stood stronger in defence, this was the key.

 

Gustav Adolf Björnsson, assistant coach Iceland: We played very strongly for 40 minutes and then we had to struggle to attack. Russia improved and they are four times World Champion, this is the difference between amateurs like us and professionals like them. But by looking upon the whole tournament, we are very satisfied.

 

Hrafnhildur Skuladottir, team captain Iceland: We were really good in the first half, but then it was hard for us to play against the Russian defence. In the last 20 minutes we were out of power and tired.