Australia have been crowned Women’s U18 world champions for the first time after producing an outstanding defensive performance to defeat hosts and defending champions Spain 9-5 in Tenerife.
The Australians completed an unbeaten campaign in Puerto de la Cruz with their biggest victory yet, shutting down a Spanish side that had reached the final having won all five of their previous matches.
Australia made the perfect start, racing into a 3-0 lead through two goals from Ali McCarthy and another from tournament standout Bless Daly. Spain were held scoreless throughout the opening eight minutes and did not find their first goal until the second quarter.
Ona Jurado finally broke the Spanish drought before Queralt Anton scored on the buzzer to reduce the deficit to 4-2 at half-time, but Australia remained in control.
Goalkeeper Caroline Healy was at the centre of the performance, making nine saves as Spain struggled badly on extra-player opportunities. The defending champions converted just three of their 14 chances with a player advantage, while Australia finished six from ten.
Spain briefly moved within one at 4-3 during the third quarter, but Australia immediately responded. Alannah Paul, Sara Connors and Kiera Mironova helped restore a 7-4 advantage heading into the final period.
Daly then converted from the penalty line to effectively put the contest beyond Spain before Paul completed the scoring in the closing stages.
McCarthy, Daly and Paul all scored twice for Australia, while Jurado and Anton led Spain with two goals each. Daly finishes an extraordinary tournament with 42 goals, having already scored 40 across Australia’s first six matches.
The victory represents Australia’s first Women’s U18 world title and improves dramatically on their previous best finish of fourth in 2018. Spain, champions in both 2018 and 2024, take silver.
Earlier, the United States secured the bronze medal with a narrow 8-7 victory over Hungary.
Hungary led 3-2 after the opening quarter before the teams reached half-time level at 5-5. A scoreless third period for the USA allowed Hungary to take a 6-5 advantage into the final eight minutes, but three quick American goals at the beginning of the fourth turned the game around.
Hungary managed one further goal but could not find an equaliser, leaving the USA with bronze and Hungary in fourth place.
Results
Gold medal match
Australia 9-5 Spain (3-0, 1-2, 3-2, 2-1)
Bronze medal match
United States 8-7 Hungary (2-3, 3-2, 0-1, 3-1)
Final standings
- Australia
- Spain
- United States
- Hungary
- Greece
- Canada
- Netherlands
- China
- Italy
- Croatia
- Israel
- New Zealand
- Germany
- Turkiye
- Brazil
- Serbia
- Colombia
- South Africa
- Malta
- Zimbabwe
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