DAY 4
5th to 7th place (Men’s): 9:15 – BRAZIL 20 – 16 CHILE
A very evenly matched game to start off Friday’s session. Total parity, largely due to the excellent performance of the Chilean goalkeeper. The halftime score was 8 to 9 in favor of Chile until the 40th minute of the match, when the Brazilian team raised their level, and Chile started to get more fatigued and couldn’t manage clear shooting opportunities. Brazil positions itself as the clear favorite for fifth place.
5th to 7th place (Women’s): 11:30 – NETHERLANDS – 16 INDIA
The match was dominated and controlled at all times by the Netherlands. They ran when they wanted to and paused the game when they chose to. India was more accurate in front of the goal, and many players had more minutes than in other matches. The Netherlands is fighting for fifth place.
Semifinal 1 (Men’s): 13:45 – POLAND 30 – 29 CZECHIA
Thrilling match to decide the first semifinalist of the Championship. Czechia started with greater intensity and speed, gaining an early lead on the scoreboard. Soon, Poland turned the game around, mainly due to the excellent performance of their goalkeeper, No. 12. In attack, Poland’s collective play and their long-range shots from beyond the 9-meter line were highly effective. The halftime score was 17-16 in favor of Poland. Czechia kept pushing, and the second half was marked by tight competition. The exclusion of Czech defense specialist No. 20 was noticeable in their defense. However, they recovered and, through sheer effort, closed the gap to two goals in the final minutes. Poland then relied on their long-range shots again and sealed the match. Poland is the first male finalist.
Semifinal 2 (Men’s): 16:00 – SPAIN 33 – 27 FRANCE
Thrilling match to decide the second finalist alongside Poland. The game started very evenly with both teams making mistakes and successful plays, and goalkeepers No. 16 Dufour Tom for France and No. 1 Santamaría for Spain performing at a very high level. Gorka Nieto, No. 9 for Spain, disrupted the French defense with his one-on-ones, scoring 6 goals, earning several 7-meter penalties, and providing many assists to his teammates. France stayed close on the scoreboard throughout the first half, which ended with Spain leading 15-13. The second half began with Spain in possession but at a disadvantage, which the French team capitalized on, tying the score at 15 within 1 minute and 20 seconds. The tension on the benches was immense, with every action celebrated as a victory and every mistake contested with the referees. Heart-pounding minutes followed, with the decisive plays by players like Gorka and Pablo tipping the balance in Spain’s favor. The final will be on Sunday with a Poland-Spain match, a rematch of the opening game from a few days ago.
Semifinal 3 (Women’s): 18:15 – FRANCE 40 – 28 POLAND
France, second in Group A, surprised Poland, first in Group B, and swept their opponent off the court with lightning speed. Led by their strong defense and their spectacular goalkeeper Cantin M, once again, and in attack by the brilliant Melique, M No. 15, who drove the Polish defense crazy with her goals from both the right and left. Poland tried everything: changing defensive systems, attacking with 7 field players, rotating everyone, but today was France’s day. With an exceptionally high level, they are determined to win this Championship.
Semifinal 4 (Women’s): 20:30 – SPAIN 27 – 14 CZECHIA
A very serious match by the Spanish team, who dominated from start to finish, with very enthusiastic stands, and it was a match worthy of a semifinal. Spain, led by No. 6 Loidi, found a way to attack the Czech 6:0 defense with ease and variety. However, the Czechs encountered an immense Spanish defense that held them to 14 goals. The second half was redundant, allowing all players to rotate. On Sunday, we will witness another thrilling Spain vs. France match, and this time it will be the grand Final.
