The preliminary round of the Women’s U20 World Championships concluded with four group winners — Spain, United States, Croatia, and Australia — each sealing top spot and heading into the knockout stage in strong form.
Group A – Spain Dominant, Netherlands Second
Spain underlined their title credentials with a commanding 15–5 win over Israel, holding their opponents scoreless for the entire first half. Olympic champion Isabel Piralkova and Alba Muñoz both struck twice before the break as Spain’s pace and defensive organisation proved decisive.
The Netherlands secured second place with a 17–6 victory over New Zealand, led by a six-goal performance from Linde Haksteen. The Dutch defence shut out the Kiwis in the final quarter to finish the group stage with a confident win.
Final Standings:
- Spain – 9pts
- Netherlands – 6pts
- New Zealand – 3pts
- Israel – 0pts
Group B – USA Perfect, Greece Stuns Hungary
The United States maintained their perfect record, beating Italy 14–6. Julia Bonaguidi led all scorers with six goals, while Emily Ausmus added four as the Americans opened up a 7–3 halftime lead and never looked back.
In the other match, Greece handed Hungary a third consecutive defeat, winning 15–11 after a blistering 6–1 first quarter. Nefeli Krassa netted six goals, supported by Foteini Tricha’s four. Hungary fought back to win the remaining periods, but the early damage proved decisive.
Final Standings:
- United States – 8pts
- Greece – 7pts
- Italy – 3pts
- Hungary – 0pts
Group C – Croatia Finish Perfect, Brazil Impress at Home
Croatia claimed first place with a 19–11 victory over Argentina, powered by Ria Glas’s tournament-high eight goals and Jelena Butic’s five. Argentina stayed within touching distance until late in the third quarter before Croatia pulled away.
Hosts Brazil delighted the Salvador crowd with a 28–3 demolition of Mexico to secure second place. Nicolly dos Santos scored five, while captain Maiah Nascimento added four as Brazil’s relentless counter-attack proved unstoppable.
Final Standings:
- Croatia – 9pts
- Brazil – 6pts
- Argentina – 3pts
- Mexico – 0pts
Group D – Australia Hold Off China, Canada Break Through
Australia topped the group with a 14–8 win over China in a match where extra-player execution was the difference. Taafili Taoso and Bless Daly each scored four goals as the Aussies converted eight of their 16 power plays.
Canada earned their first win of the tournament, defeating South Africa 14–8 to claim third place. Isabella Mady led the charge with six goals, while Brooklyn Plomp added three.
Final Standings:
- Australia – 9pts
- China – 6pts
- Canada – 3pts
- South Africa – 0pts
Next Stage – Key Fixtures
With the group phase complete, attention now turns to the crossovers and classification matches. Notable clashes include Hungary v Australia, a high-stakes encounter for the defending champions, and Israel v Croatia, where the Europeans will be heavy favourites to progress.
Day Four Fixtures – 13 August (Local Time, Salvador)
Classification 13th–16th Place
- 10:30 – Argentina vs South Africa
- 12:00 – Canada vs Mexico
Crossovers
- 13:30 – Israel vs Croatia (Match 27)
- 16:00 – Hungary vs Australia (Match 28)
- 17:30 – Italy vs China (Match 29)
- 19:00 – New Zealand vs Brazil (Match 30)
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