WOMEN'S COMPETITION
CANADA – AUSTRALIA 28:17 (14:8)
Canada needed to win the game in order to ensure the bronze medal, but the girls from down under wanted to feel the podium as well. The first fifteen minutes of the game were very leveled, as both teams have scored four goals in this period of the game. In this moment, Canada upped the ante and scored 6 goals in a row to make it 10:4. The rest of the half time was a goal for goal game with neither Canada being able to increase the difference nor Australia to close the gap.
In the second half the speed of the handball the teams played has decreased, and as a result of the tiredness, the game had too many technical mistakes. The team from Canada was better in such handball and won the game with final 28:17.
With this victory Canada confirmed their bronze medal, while Australia remained last in the rankings, behind Thailand who finish this tournament in fourth position.
DR CONGO – BULGARIA 21:29 (8:15)
It was the final game of the women’s competition that was to decide the winner of the II IHF Trophy InterContinental Phase. Before the game it was a clear that the winner will take the Trophy home, while a draw was in favor of the African outfit.
In the beginning of the first half it was obvious that the stakes in this game were very high, so both teams were making mistakes in the build up phase of the attacks. While Bulgaria had overcome this period quickly, the girls from the DR Congo remained impressed by the importance of the game until the end of the half. Bulgaria, lead by their amazing goalkeeper Kristina Milanova and their right-handed right back player Stanislava Dimitrova, went in the dressing room with a comfortable 7 goals advantage.
The same picture remained in the first 15 minutes of the second half. DR Congo, was not even a shadow of the team that was so effective during the previous 3 games in the competition and the 47th minute the team from Europe had a 10 goal lead – 13:23.
Until the end of the game, the winner of the African Continental Phase tried to turn the game around by playing a very offensive defense, but this did not bear any fruits as the game ended in a clear 21:29 victory for the European representative in this Competition.
Just as on the other games in this Competition, Jule Betu Mvita was leading DR Congo with 9 goals, while Lora Sarabdeva scored just as many for Bulgaria, the winner of the Competition.
After Finland who won the tournament in Kazakhstan in 2011, Bulgaria is the second winner of the InterContinental Phase of the IHF Trophy.
Women’s All Star team:
Best Goalkeeper: Kristina Milanova (BUL)
Best Left Wing: Joceline Ngunza (COD)
Best Pivot: Joisakoo Nittaya (THA)
Best Right Wing: Vicky Rainville-Joyal (CAN)
Best Left Back: Julie Betu Mvite (COD)
Best Center Back: Madeleine McAfee (AUS)
Best Right Back: Stanislava DImitrova (BUL)
Most Valuable Player: Stanislava Dimitrova (BUL)
Best Scorer: Madeleine McAfee (AUS) - 35 goals.
MEN'S COMPETITION
AUSTRALIA – NIGERIA 21:32 (12:14)
The first thirty minutes were the best Australia has played on the tournament so far. They were not intimidated by the fast paced handball of their opponent, and lead by their goalkeeper Kristofer Karlsson they had to keep Nigeria highly concentrated to keep a very narrow margin of two goals by half time.
Even in the beginning of the second half time, the underdogs of the match had no intention of surrendering, and after ten minutes to score was 16:18, still only two goals advantage for the Nigerian team. It was only after 45 minutes that the team from Nigeria started playing their recognizable handball and finally created a recognizable 5 goals advantage at 17:22. Since the moment, Nigeria picked up their pace and closed the game comfortably at 21:32. Adamu Aminu Chris was the best player for Nigeria, while Karl Warrener scored 6 for Austraila. However, it was their goalie Kristofer Karlsson who was their most distinguished player.
MEXICO – UZBEKISTAN 30:20 (15:8)
The moment they set foot on court in front of 1000 loud spectators and their Minister of Sports in the Nuevo Leon Unido Arena in Monterrey, the Mexican team was determined to secure the silver medal on II InterContinental Phase of the IHF Trophy. They dominated the first half from top to bottom, and took a very nice 7 goal lead in the dressing room on half time.
Even though everybody expected Uzbekistan to find a way back in the match, Mexico pressed on the gas pedal even harder and by the 46th minute they already decided the game having a clear 12 goals advantage at 26:14. In continuation they calmly brought the game to an end, winning comfortably by 30:20 to secure the silver medal on the II IHF Tropy InterContinental Phase. Ricardo Morales Diaz was the bext player in the host team scoring seven time for the Pan-American outfit.
Men’s All Star Team
Best Goalkeeper: Bekzod Karimov (UZB)
Best Left Wing: Andrei Nederita (MDA)
Best Pivot: Vladimir Carali (MDA)
Best Right Wing: Genaro CHavez
Best Left Back: Victor Vartic (MDA)
Best Center Back: Abiel Villalobos (MEX)
Best Right Back: Emmanuel Emeka Obiano (NGR)
Most Valuable Player: Andrei Nederita (MDA)
Best Scorer: Victor Vartic (MDA) 30 goals
After the final match of the Competition, Mr. Mario Garcia De La Torre, member of the IHF Council, closed the Event on behalf of the International Handball Federation. The Event ended in a spectacular carnival atmosphere on court, where all the teams joined in a wonderful party, proving once again the family spirit of handball and showing the uniting energy sport plays among young people.