Spain led by one goal with 20 seconds left in a crucial match against Iceland, but conceded two goals in the last 16 seconds to concede a 32:31 loss against the Nordic side. Both teams qualified to the quarter-finals, at Serbia’s expense.
In Group IV of the main round, Czechia needed to erase a 13-goal deficit against Egypt and they did their part, securing a 42:27 against Japan, forcing the hosts to take at least a point against Denmark to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Main round
Group II
Spain vs Iceland 31:32 (15:15)
Spain struggled in the opening minutes, unable to find clear shooting positions. When Jens Sigurdarson added two more saves to his tally, Iceland capitalised to break away and open a four-goal lead. It was clear Spain needed a tactical shift, which arrived after a time‑out.
Switching to a 5–1 defence, Spain began to disrupt Iceland’s rhythm, successfully isolating their centre back. That defensive change paved the way for a comeback, and midway through the first half Sergio Sánchez Vidán scored to make it 8:9.
Spain kept pressing, looking to push Iceland to a breaking point. When they finally levelled at 11:11, the match was back on even terms. With both sides showing 54% attacking efficiency, the statistics told the story of a first half that was evenly matched — Spain growing stronger towards the break, and Iceland losing a touch of focus.
Spain’s momentum carried into the second half, as they opened with a 2:0 run to claim a 17:15 lead — their first of the match. From there, it became a nip‑and‑tuck battle, with both sides briefly holding narrow leads, underlining the high stakes.
The drama continued right to the end. Goalkeeper Sigurjón Bragi Atlason stood tall for Iceland when they needed him most, turning a 24:25 deficit into a 28:27 lead. But nothing could prepare the crowd for the final twists.
The title holders stole possession twice in quick succession, punishing Iceland for playing without a goalkeeper and snatching the lead at 31:30. Iceland levelled again, and then one costly Spanish mistake — a missed shot on an empty goal — left the door open. With just seven seconds remaining, Ágúst Gudmundsson struck for his ninth goal of the match, almost on the buzzer, sealing two vital points for Iceland.
The result pushed both teams into the quarter-finals, eliminating Serbia before their final group game against Saudi Arabia.
Player of the Match: Ágúst Gudmundsson (Iceland)
Group IV
Japan vs Czechia 27:42 (12:19)
Missing out on a win against Egypt was always going to be costly for Czechia, which had a three-goal lead with three minutes left on the clock in the main round opener. But the European side still had a fighting chance.
First, they needed to win against Japan. Then, they needed Egypt to lose against Denmark. And in the process, a 13-goal difference had to be wiped out, as the African champions enjoyed bigger wins against their opponents.
Easier said than done for Czechia, but they surely threw off the match knowing exactly what they needed, as they were leading 11:4 after 15 minutes. Sure, Japan were in no man’s land after their previous losses, but they still produced some high-quality handball throughout the competition.
And Czechia continued to pounce, continously finding new sollutions in attack, until they hit a wall and failed to score for five minutes and 21 seconds. A Japan 3:0 run cut the gap to only four goals, 14:10, but at the end of the first half, Czechia were still running away with the win, leading 19:12, and applying some pressure to Egypt.
There was still a mountain to be climbed, as at that point the gap was only six goals to Egypt, which were slated to end the day against Denmark, therefore every possible goal was important for the European side, which missed some crucial chances to open the first eight-goal lead between the 34th and the 36th minutes.
A 7:2 run, though, fueled by two goals from Daniel Mahušek and Ondřej Šíma, helped Czechia exert even more pressure in their duel with Egypt, as they opened up a 11-goal lead, 31:20, with 12 minutes to go, playing their part excellently in order to boost their chances of progression to the quarter-finals.
Not only Czechia did cancel Egypt’s advantage in goal difference, they did it in style, with seven of their goals coming on fast breaks, while probably delivering their best attacking performance of the competition, finishing the match with a 70% attacking efficiency, while goalkeeper Kryštof Pleva had 15 saves, for a 38% saving efficiency.
The 42:27 Czechia win means that the European side improved drastically their chances of progression, needing only Denmark to win against Egypt, to secure their maiden quarter-finals appearance at the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship.
Japan’s third consecutive loss sees the Asian side now heading to the Placement Matches 13-16, where they are due to face Saudi Arabia.
Player of the Match: Ondřej Šíma (Czechia)
President’s Cup
Group III
Faroe Islands vs Argentina 26:26 (15:14)
The Faroe Islands made a strong start against Argentina in their bid for a second President’s Cup victory, and for almost 20 minutes, it looked well within reach. In that spell, the Faroese led by as many as four goals (12:8), using a 7‑on‑6 attack to maintain their advantage.
However, late saves from Simon Viera and a series of rushed Faroese attacks stalled what had been an impressive half. Argentina found fresh energy, stepped up a gear, and in the closing stages of the first period, narrowed the gap to just one goal — setting up a fascinating second half.
Argentina levelled early after the restart and, driven by their top scorer Nicolás La Delfa, claimed their first lead since the opening minutes. The Faroe Islands lacked the sharpness to wrest control back, while Argentina pressed hard for what would have been a notable win at Egypt 2025.
With ten minutes remaining, the teams were locked at 21:21, but this time it was the Faroe Islands chasing as Argentina edged closer to victory. Yet in the very last second, Rúnar Hammer stunned the South Americans with a decisive strike to secure a draw.
The Faroe Islands will continue in the Placement Matches 17–20, while Argentina move on to the Placement Matches 21–24.
Player of the Match: Rúnar Hammer (Faroe Islands)
Group IV
Bahrain vs Tunisia 29:29 (15:16)
Thanks to Mohamed Abdulhusan’s string of saves in the closing minutes, Bahrain salvaged a draw against Tunisia. However, it was the African side who topped the group on goal difference and will continue fighting for the President’s Cup in the Placement Matches 17–20, while Bahrain will proceed to the Placement Matches 21–24.
While his Tunisian colleague Mohamed Chabchoub made 11 saves and was named Player of the Match, Abdulhusan had a big impact in the last quarter of the game after coming on as a substitute. He saved six of eight shots for a 75% save rate, denying the African side a single goal in the last 10 minutes.
The opening half featured a very tight contest, as neither team could pull clear by more than two goals. Bahrain were the better side in the opening minutes, taking a 4:2 lead, but Tunisia held a 14:12 advantage nearly six minutes before the break.
Two goals from Ali Aryash then launched Bahrain’s 3:0 run, handing them a 14:14 lead. But the African side netted twice in the closing minute of the half, heading to the dressing room with a one‑goal cushion.
The pattern of the game did not change after the restart, as both rivals took turns in the lead but were unable to create even a two‑goal gap for a long time. When Bahrain missed a few shots — including one from the seven‑metre line — Tunisia gained momentum, and a strong 5:0 run saw them take a 28:23 lead with 12 minutes remaining.
But the fight was not over. Abdulhusan’s vital saves, combined with Salman Alshowaikh’s goals, helped Bahrain draw level in the 58th minute. However, neither team could score in the remaining time, and they ultimately shared the spoils in this thriller.
Player of the Match: Mohamed Chabchoub (Tunisia)
