The Russian Federation continued their unbeaten run through the 2016 IHF Women’s Junior (U20) World Championship to qualify for the semi-finals with a decisive win against Norway in the quarter-final stage. 

The tournament hosts will meet Germany in the next match, after they won their quarter-final against Korea in a match decided on penalties.  

The second quarter-finals of the evening saw Denmark finish with a clear win against Sweden in CSKA Palace of Sport, while Romania defeated Croatia by one goal in Sport Palace Dynamo Krylatskoe. 

Sport Palace Dynamo Krylatskoe, Tuesday 12 July
Quarter-final: Norway vs Russian Federation 24:35 (14:16)

The match began with an equal seven minutes that saw Norway hold a narrow advantage at 4:3, before Russia recorded a 7:1 run to create a 10:5 lead by the middle of the half with the help of a great atmosphere in Dynamo Krylatskoe. After the 15-minute mark Norway picked up their game and decreased the deficit to two by half-time, which seemed a positive indication that they would be able to keep pace through the second half. 

Russia maintained a two-goal lead as the second period began, with a score of 20:18 in the 40th before they increased that advantage to 21:18 with a goal from line player Valentina Vernigorova. Left wing Marianna Egorova added her fourth goal to take the hosts further in front at 22:18 in the 42nd, and they retained that advantage until Elizaveta Malashenko scored a penalty to put them five ahead at 24:19. 

As the clock ticked on Russia steadily increased their lead while keeping Norway scoreless for more than five minutes. With the score at 25:19 Norway goalkeeper Tonje Haug Lerstad made an impressive fast-break save that was converted into a counter-attack goal to put the score at 25:20 as the match neared the final 10 minutes – but at that point the match was already decided. 

Norway could not contain the hosts and Russia pulled further in front as the clock wound down, with Malashenko taking the score to 31:23 with just over two minutes remaining. Her team added another four goals in the final minutes, finishing the match with an 11-goal advantage. 

Quarter-final: Croatia vs Romania 20:21 (10:11)

Croatia have been consistently a very tactical side through their Russia 2016 campaign, with a visibly different approach to each game led by the mastermind of their attack, playmaker Stella Posavec. The team applied coach Silvio Ivandija’s strategy for the quarter-final against Romania very effectively through the opening minutes, creating a 5:1 advantage by the eighth. 

Romania then found their rhythm and began to close the gap, but Croatia still held a 9:6 lead with 10 minutes left in the half. In the 22nd minute Croatia were in front 10:6, but then Romania finished with a 5:0 run that turned the four-goal deficit into a one-goal advantage by the break. 

When the match resumed Romania increased the distance very quickly, moving ahead to 13:11 before Elena Dache received a two-minute suspension. Romania seemed unphased with the numerical deficiency however, as they pulled further in front to 14:11 by the 35th minute against a defensive system that was not quite as effective as their own. 

Romania held on through the half until Croatia came back very strong, just as they did in their eighth-final match against Hungary which saw them equalise in the 58th minute before winning by one.

With five minutes left in the match Croatia were within one at 19:20, before Romania added another to put the score at 21:19 in their favour – and there it stayed until back Marija Ljubicic decreased the score line to 20:21 with just over 60 seconds left. Romania lost the ball in their next attack and Croatia moved into offence with 30 seconds remaining. 

When they received a penalty in the last 20 seconds and Stella Posavec stepped up to take the shot it seemed the stage was set for another extra-time quarter-final following the 80 minute plus match played by Korea and Germany. But just as key players like Hungary’s Gabriella Toth and Korea’s Youjin Hur had done before her, Stella Posavec missed the most crucial shot as Romania’s Yuliya Dumanska made a vital save to win the game. 

The one-goal victory means Romania qualify for the semi-final stage, where they will take on Denmark, who defeated Sweden in their quarter-final played in CSKA. 

CSKA Palace of Sport, Tuesday 12 July
Quarter-final: Korea vs Germany 37:38 (33:33)(30:30)(26:26)(16:14)

Immediately it was clear this was going to be a thrilling match, as both teams began at a fast pace with strong defence that meant the score was just 1:1 at the five-minute mark. Every goal was celebrated as Korea created a two-goal advantage with Seongeun Kim’s first on a fast break in the eighth (4:2). 

Korea’s active 3-3 defence made Germany’s tall backcourt work hard from further out than they would usually attack, but right back Alicia Stolle found a way to break through to close the gap to 3:4. In Korea’s next attack their playmaker Jieun Song, who contributes upwards of 10 goals every match, was injured and had to leave the court temporarily, though she returned later in the half. 

Her side kept an advantage and at the 10-minute mark led 6:4, and five minutes later they had moved ahead further after capitalising on a two-minute suspension for Stolle. The European side were clearly well prepared for Korea’s defence and attacked with composure, but any error was punished with a fast-break goal. 

When Korea were 8:5 in the advantage Germany coach Marielle Bohm called the first time-out of the game, after which Korea back Youjin Hur received two two-minute suspensions within a period of five minutes. Her absence allowed Germany to decrease the deficit to 8:10 as the clock showed 20 minutes. 

When Germany closed the gap to one at 9:10 Korea coach Hanjoon Cho called his first time-out. But Germany kept on coming, and soon it was a one-for-one game with a score of 12:11 to Korea as the last five minutes of the half began. 

Korea’s penalty shooter Kyungmin Kang scored a goal after the buzzer to earn her team a two-goal advantage at half-time, and when the match resumed they increased that to four by the 34th with a fast break from Hur. But a two-minute suspension for Seongeun Kim hurt Korea and Germany decreased the gap to 16:18. 

A penalty save from goalkeeper Madita Kohorst kept Korea from moving further in front and her team converted the next attack to come within one at 19:20 in the 42nd. They equalised moments later and it was again a one-for-one match as the last quarter approached (21:21). 

Five minutes later each team had added only one more goal (22:22), indicating that this match was truly one of the best showcases of defence so far at Russia 2016 where many matches have reached near 70 goals in 60 minutes. With six minutes left it remained a one-for-one contest as Korea moved in front by one with Hur’s eighth goal of the match (25:24), 

As the final whistle approached Korea maintained a narrow advantage despite a two-minute suspension for Eunjin Hwang. With just over two minutes left Korea were in front 26:25, before Germany’s Alina Grijseels equalised at 26:26. Neither team could find the goal as the clock ticked down, and with a level score at the final whistle the match went into extra time. 

As the end of the first period of extra time neared Korea created a two-goal advantage at 29:27 courtesy of right wing Seongeun Kim, before Germany closed the gap to one again with a goal from their right wing Amelie Berger. In the second five minutes of extra time Korea keeper Hyeonmi Cho made a vital save on a breakthrough that kept her team one in front, but Germany equalised to send the match into a second period of extra time. 

Korea were the first to score before Hur took them two in front at 32:30 in the 74th, but Germany decreased the score line to one with a goal from right back Nele Reimer before Ramona Ruthenbeck equalised again at 32:32. 

Korea keeper Cho made a penalty save with Germany in front at 33:32, then left wing Hwang scored from her position to equalise at 33:33. But Hwang received her third two-minute suspension in Germany’s next attack and with it a red card that put Korea in a dangerous position with 60 seconds left and the European side in possession. They managed to hold Germany off and again the score was level at the final whistle, which meant the game was to be decided in a penalty shoot-out. 

All four of the first shots were scored from both sides, before Germany keeper Madita Kohorst saved Korea’s fifth shot – from their top scorer of the match Hur, who had contributed 11 goals in the 80 minutes of playing time. Korea changed keeper to bring in Eunji Kang in place of Cho for the final throw, but she did could not stop Paula Prior’s shot, and Germany enthusiastically celebrated a hard-earned semi-final qualification. 

Quarter-final: Sweden vs Denmark 15:22 (7:7)

It was expected to be an evenly-matched meeting between the two Scandinavian sides, but the match progressed a little differently than expected. Both teams played strong 6-0 with excellent saves from goalkeepers Isabelle Mouratido for Sweden (32% save rate) and Denmark’s Althea Rebecca Reinhardt (50% with 14 saves from 28 shots), and each side had to work very hard for their goals. 

After five minutes the score stood at 2:1 to Denmark, and at the 10-minute mark it was equal at 2:2 when Sweden’s Thess Kronell was out for two minutes. Mouratido made an outstanding save that kept the score equal before centre back Julia Bardis sent a neat ground shot into the goal that gave Sweden a 3:2 lead in the 14th. 

Sweden hit a three-goal advantage in the 18th with a fast break from left wing Emma Rask (5:2), as her side continued to keep Denmark scoreless. Denmark’s third goal finally came in the 19th minute, at which point Sweden were in front by three at 6:3. 

But Denmark chased hard to close the gap to 4:6 in the 23rd, before Pauline Boegelund received a two-minute suspension. Denmark goalkeeper Ida Vium saved the penalty off Sweden’s Olivia Mellegard, and the gap stayed at two before Sofie Flader broke through to score her second and take Denmark within one at 5:6.

Emma Lindqvist scored a jump shot from nine to reclaim the two goal advantage as the last five minutes of the half began (7:5), but Sara Trier Hald answered and Sweden could now feel Denmark hot on their tail as the clock ticked toward half-time. 

Sweden coach Ola Mansson called his first time-out in an attempt to slow Denmark’s run, but once the current European champions in this age group started they could not be halted. After the break they immediately opened up an advantage, pulling ahead to 16:13 with 15 minutes left, then 19:15 by the 50th minute. 

As the clock ticked through the last 10 minutes there was little Sweden could do as Denmark rampaged toward the final whistle, finishing with a seven-goal lead that secures their semi-final place against Romania.