Austria Secure Main Round Berth, Leaving Argentina Facing Elimination
Rotterdam – Austria clinched a spot in the main round of the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship with a hard-fought 27:23 victory over Argentina in a tense Group E encounter. The win avenges a surprising 31:29 loss to Argentina at the 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship, a result that previously propelled the South American side forward.
The match began with Argentina taking an early lead, establishing a 7:3 advantage within the frist 11 minutes. However, Austria responded emphatically with a 5-0 run, holding Argentina scoreless for over ten minutes and dramatically shifting the momentum.
despite the absence of key players Johanna Reichert and Katarina Pandža, Austria’s attack was spearheaded by captain Ines Ivančok-Soltic, who tallied seven goals in the first 45 minutes, and Ana Pandža, who contributed two goals and six assists. The first half concluded in a 12:12 deadlock after a last-second Argentine attempt was disallowed.
Austria emerged from the break with renewed intensity,initiating a 4:1 run that proved decisive. Klara Schlegel continued her strong performance from the previous match against Egypt, consistently challenging the Argentine defense.
As the game progressed, Argentina struggled defensively, with their goalkeeper efficiency dropping to 19% by the 50th minute. The loss of influential left back Elke Karsten to a red card further hampered their efforts, forcing them to employ a risky seven-on-six attack.
Despite the desperate attempt,Argentina’s all-out offensive strategy proved ineffective,leading to turnovers and easy goals for Austria. Ivančok-Soltic ultimately led all scorers with eight goals, securing Austria’s second consecutive win.
With this result, Austria advance to the main round. Argentina now face a crucial, must-win match against Egypt to contend for the final main round spot in Group E.
hummel Player of the Match: Lena Ivančok (Austria)
