The final day at the 2016 IHF Women’s Junior (U20) World Championship began with Korea defeating Croatia to secure seventh place on the final ranking. Norway and Sweden took to the court for the second match of the day, with Norway recording an impressive 10-goal win that earns them fifth on the ranking.
Sport Palace Dynamo Krylatskoe, Friday 15 July
5/6 Placement match: Norway vs Sweden 32:22 (14:12)
As expected this match was a contest dominated by two strong playmakers in Sweden’s Julia Bardis and Norway’s Helene Gigstad Fauske, who scored five and six goals respectively to lead their sides through the first half. It was a high quality match from the outset, with outstanding 6-0 defence that forced both teams to play their best attack – resulting in a very entertaining 60 minutes in Sport Palace Dynamo Krylatskoe.
The teams could not be separated through the first 30 minutes, with the lead changing hands as the clock ticked through. At the end of the first period Norway held a two-goal advantage, though it was clear they would have to work hard to hold on as the outcome was far from decided.
When the match resumed Norway quickly pulled further in front, leaving Sweden to chase for the rest of the half. Just after the 35-minute mark Norway added a penalty goal that took them to 17:13 on the score board, but five minutes later Sweden closed the deficit to 15:17. Sweden would come within one several times during the second period, but they were unable to equalise.
Norway claimed a more decisive advantage when Ida Marie Hernes scored an incredible ground shot that opened up a four goal lead in the 43rd (20:16), but Sweden came back and with 15 minutes on the clock they trailed by just one at 19:20. Again Norway increased the advantage, and this time it stuck – at the 50-minute mark they led 24:20, and in the 55th Hernes created a six-goal advantage with a penalty shot against Sofie Borjesson that took the score to 27:21.
Norway powered home to hit a 10-goal lead right before the buzzer, thereby finishing fifth on the final ranking while Sweden settle into sixth.
7/8 Placement match: Korea vs Croatia 32:30 (16:16)
Croatia seemed more motivated when the match began, scoring the first couple of goals thanks to right back Larissa Kalaus then playmaker Stella Posavec (eight goals total). Croatia’s flat 6-0 with such a tall middle block would have seemed a hindrance to Korea, but Jieun Song added her first goal off a seemingly effortless outside jump shot to put the Asian team on the board.
After five minutes when Croatia goalkeeper Magdelena Ecimovic made a save on a breakthrough the score stood at 4:2 to the European side, before Korea closed the gap and took the lead – with four goals already from Jieun Song by that stage – just after the 10th (6:5).
Midway through the half it was a level game, with the teams scoring one for one. 17 minutes in both sides had hit 10 points and the score was equal before Stella Posavec gave Croatia the edge with a breakthrough on a counter attack. Croatia created their first two-goal advantage when Stella Posavec scored another counter attack goal – her fourth at that point – in the 24th, putting the score at 15:13.
Korea called their first time-out at the 25-minute mark, but the teams could not be separated before the half-time whistle. When the match resumed Korea added two goals before Croatia scored their first in the 35th (18:17), but only 90 seconds later the Asian team completely had the momentum, pulling ahead to 20:17 as the European side struggled against their well-organised 3-3 defensive system.
Jieun Song was injured in the 39th (20:17) and was carried off the court, before her team scored a penalty to increase their advantage to four at 21:17. With 15 minutes left Korea maintained that advantage at 25:21, but in the space of a few minutes Croatia picked up their game in what is becoming a trademark for the European team.
They have finished strong to come back from deficits in all of their recent matches, and they did the same against Korea, levelling the score with a penalty goal from Paula Posavec in the 53rd (27:27). As the clock wound down Korea pulled two in front to 30:28 with consecutive goals from Dahye Kang. Paula Posavec scored her 10th goal to equalise again with less than two minutes left, but Korea scored the final two goals to finish with a difference of two.