It seems to be the year of Korea in women’s younger age category handball: After winning the Women’s Junior (U20) World Championship in Croatia, the U18 girls of the Asian champions now made it to the final of the Youth Olympic Games after a nail-biting semi-final thriller, beating European champions Sweden by 25:24 in Nanjing.

Korea (debutants at the Youth Olympic Games) will face the winner of the later-on second semi, Russia vs. Brazil, in the gold medal match on Monday (18:00 hrs. local time) in the JSC Gymnasium in Nanjing. Sweden will face the loser of the second semi to compete for the bronze medal at 13:00 hrs. local time.

Girls’ tournament, semi-final:

Korea – Sweden 25:24 (11:10)

Already the first half had been on fully equal level – and surprisingly both sides did not use their “usually best weapon”, counter-attacks, to score. Korea were in lead constantly, but could not cast off the European champions, the biggest distance until the break were two goals. While on Korean side nearly all players scored already in the first half, Sweden was backed by the five goals of Emma Ekenman-Fernis (finally top scorer by ten strikes) and the eight saves of goalkeeper Isabella Mouratido in the first 30 minutes.

Also in the second half the Koreans prevented from the famous Swedish counter-attacks – and when their highly movable defence had been built it was extremely hard for the Scandinavians to get through to the goal. But the Asian champions had to stand the best period of Sweden right at the re-start, when the European champions turned the tide to 18:16. And from that moment on the exciting roller-coaster ride had started: Korea scored four straight times to be ahead 20:18, Sweden stroke back for 23:22 with only seven minutes to go – when the dying minutes had started everything was fully open.

Finally Korea booked the ticket for the final by a triple strike of Sojeong Yu and Kyungmin Kang (2) for the score of 25:23, leaving the brave fighting Swedish girls in tears

Eunhye Kang was the best scorer of a perfectly balanced Korean team, scoring six goals from seven attempts.