The final day of junior competition in the preliminary group stage at the 2018/19 IHF Men’s Trophy Intercontinental Phase saw all decisions finalised as a healthy USA win against Paraguay ensured they topped group B.

The North Americans then had to wait and see who they would face in the semi-finals as Kosovo took on Nigeria with all to play for. In the end, the host nation eased to victory, winning group A and facing Paraguay in the semi-finals, while pushing Chinese Taipei into the runners-up spot with the Asian side now preparing for a final four clash against America tomorrow.

USA coach Julio Sainz told IHF.info ahead of this game that his side would only beat Paraguay by playing their own style and he was proved right as America comfortably dispatched their South American rivals by nine goals to ensure top spot in group B.

Paraguay were already 5:1 down by the time they called their first time-out in the seventh minute, but the break seemed to work for Victor Figueredo Trigo’s side as they started to slowly catch up, prompting a Sainz time-out in the 12th minute as he saw his side lead reduced to just a pair of strikes (7:5). 

When the USA came out of their pause they went ahead by one more (8:5) and as they attempted to cement the gap, their defence was overeager with Sebastian Wheeler grabbing a mid-air Jose Fiore as the Paraguayan attempted a shot. The resulting contact saw the South American land awkwardly on his arm, earning a red card for Wheeler and a precautionary trip to hospital for Fiore.

While the USA may have been efficient in front of goal, their goalkeeper Rene Ingram was impressive at the back, ending the first half with 11 stops and a save ratio of 55%. 

Paraguay also had problems trying to restrict the effective Amar Amitovic, man-marking the RK Kakanj player at times, but it proved to be fruitless as America were always ahead enough, leading at least by four throughout the entire second period and taking the win.

“It feels pretty good,” said Ingram after the match. “That’s what we work for; we want to get every W (win) we can – that’s why we’re here. We want to win everything we can. For me, personally, it doesn’t matter who we play in the semi-final, and for my team I don’t think it matters either. Our coach says, no matter whomever our opponent is, we have to put everything on court and give 120%.”

Jorge Matias Rojas Gutierrez top-scored for Paraguay with six, while Amitovic led the scoring for the USA, on seven.

The final preliminary group game of the championship saw a busy Palace of Youth and Sports watch a focussed home side ensure a comfortable win in the end against a Nigerian side who had everything to play for after narrowly losing their opening game against Chinese Taipei, who had come from behind.

Led by captain Jon Muqolli, Fatmir Muhaxheri’s Kosovo broke free of their opponents after nervous opening five minutes to take a three-goal lead (5:2 – seventh minute) as Nigeria struggled to keep in touch, finally succumbing to the attacking pressure in the 20th minute as their three-goal deficit (12:9) extended quickly to seven after a 4:0 run from the home side in a blistering two-minute spell of attacking flair.

By half-time the difference was 11 as a further run (6:0) ensured the second period would see a more relaxed match with the bench fully in rotation as Drenit Tahirukaj top-scored with nine for Muhaxheri’s side and Abdullahi Mohammed grabbed four for Nigeria.

The result meant that Nigeria will now face Australia for 5/6 place and Kosovo top the group and can look forward to a match against Paraguay.