Puerto Rico – Kazakhstan 30 – 27 (18 – 14)
Topscorers: Jailene Maldado (PUR) 7 goals and Marina Pikalova (KAZ) 9 goals
This match was one for history, the Puerto Ricans managed to win a match at their first participation at a World Championship,whih not many teams could reach until now.
photo: Björn Kenneth Muggerud
Romania – Russia 27 – 30 (16 – 17)
Topscorers: Valentin Ardean Elsei (ROU) 6 goals and Anna Vyakhireva (RUS) 6 goals
Russia, clearly groupwinners alredy before this encounter were favourites anyway, but during the match Romanians caused some trouble, leading in the first half 10-7. Trefilov’s team leveld the game, but in the second part Romania got the lead once again,22-19.
Russians were decided to win this game also, so after a turnover they managed to defeat a strong Romanian team.
Norway – Spain 29 – 26 (18 – 12)
Topscorers: Nerea Pena (ESP) 9 goals
A classic game of the handball, in the last years, almost on every big tournament these two teams meet.
photo: Björn Kenneth Muggerud
Today Norway made an exceptional first half, good defense,even bette attack, and with a period of 10-2, they decided the destiny of theis encounter more or less. Oftedal, Mörk and Kurtovic controlled the attack, Molid was again bosss in defence.
In the second part Spain showed a much better and more fluent offensive play, Nerea Pena scoring nine goals in thirty minutes and Navarro improved substantially in Spanish goal. Spain won the second hald 11-14, but Norway took the final victory in this game, which secured for Thorir Hergeirsson’s team the second place of the group and Germany in eightfinals.
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