Australia will tackle reigning champion Spain in the gold-medal final on Sunday after scintillating semifinal matches on Saturday. United States of America will play Hungary for bronze.
Overview
In the 1-4 semifinals, Australia downed United States of America 14-10 in a see-sawing match that saw USA give up a two-lead lead in the final quarter. Spain then defeated Hungary 13-10 after leading 9-4 late in the third quarter.
In the 5-8 semifinals, Greece dumped Netherlands 22-9 and Canada turned over China 10-9.
In the 9-12 semifinals, Italy eclipsed Israel 22-7 and Croatia headed New Zealand 14-12.
In classification matches, Colombia nudged out South Africa 12-11 for 17th place and Malta defeated Zimbabwe 18-9 for 19th position.
Match Reports
Classification 1-4 Semifinals
Match 55. AUSTRALIA 14 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 10 (2-1, 3-4, 3-3, 6-2)
Australia came through with a crushing six-two final quarter in a match full of twists and turns. It was undecided by the final break and incredibly, USA was two up with five and a half minutes to play. But then the Aussie tornado struck and five goals in two and a half minutes smashed USA’s resolve. The final goal was sickening for USA who had striven so hard all match and looked set to march into the final. However, the tsunami of goals swung toward the Southern Hemisphere. Remember that these are two of the top four teams in the world and these members will be in prime position when the 2032 Olympic Games rosters are decided. Either team would have done its nation proud in the gold-medal final. Bless Daly came through once again for the Aussies with a blistering six goals, including the length-of-the-field coup de gras that brought up her 40th goal.
USA began the scoring and two Aussie goals — penalty strikes by Daly — finished the first period. The Aussie coach needed a challenge to earn the second penalty foul. Margaret Ryan inspired her team with a double and Kirra Pantaleon, who was to do so much, converted extra for 4-2. Unperturbed, the Aussies were equal to the task and Ali McCarthy, who came into the match with 11 goals, equalised with a pair. Goals were swapped with USA’s Eden Coughran, looking strong on the right, delivered her fifth goal of the week. She started the third quarter at 6-5 but an Aussie triple with Daly sitting up with a six-metre, free-throw score, took her team to 8-6. Captain Kiera Mironova was devastating at bottom right and Abigail Oates pulled something out of almost nothing with an almost-impossible, turning shot on counter. Mia Fabros on extra and Pantaleon on penalty, levelled at eight. Coughran snared her third with a huge statement off the left-post position on extra and Pantaleon countered and lobbed for 10-8. The final was awaiting the North Americans. Then Sienna Walker plundered a goal off the right-post position on extra and Daly was uncompromising with a slashing shot from the top followed up by an extra-player finish. Mironova scored at centre forward and Oates took a leaf out of Daly’s book with a six-metre score for 13-10 at 2:59. At 1:43, USA took a timeout and sent up seven field players. The tactic failed and Daly threw the ball into the heavens, bouncing it into the open goal for 14-10 at 1:18. USA had 21 seconds to gain a consolation goal but the shot was saved and Australia was into its first U18 final with a best result fourth in 2018. USA won the crown in 2014 and 2022.
Match Heroes
The absolute star was Daly with six goals for the Aussies, bringing up her 40th goal in six matches, an unheard-of statistic. Pantaleon and Coughran scored hat=tricks for USA with goalkeeper Gianna Adams stopping six shots.
Turning Point
That brilliant last-quarter performance by the Aussies. Both teams had their moments in the earlier quarters.
Stats Don’t Lie
Australia converted four from six on extra and blocked four of eight. Australia scored both penalty goals and USA one. The steals favoured the Aussies six to five as did the shooting at 43.8 to 35.7 per cent.
Match 56. SPAIN 13 HUNGARY 10 (3-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4)
By comparison to the last match this was a relative cakewalk. That’s because this is the reigning champion nation and Spain has been setting itself for nothing other than gold. Whether Australia can defeat this side is another matter and we eagerly await the match-up on Sunday. Hungary was resilient and when five down was gutsy enough to bring it back to three several times. However, Spain had the tools and used them efficiently and is just one win away from retaining its crown in an age group it virtually owns by virtue of now being in four finals. Queralt Anton started her side’s scoring as a good captain should. Hanga Szalkai responded and a double from Spain excited the huge home crowd. Marina Pineda started the second quarter on extra for 4-1 and a trade involving Adrienn Hetzl on extra and Martina Fernandez at centre forward made it 6-2 at 12:07. Despite a Hungarian timeout, the score could not be budged. Lidia Lopez and Hetzl traded at the top of the third period while Pineda went on counter and Hetzl replied from deep left on extra. Anton had a penalty shot saved but Fernandez converted extra for 9-4. Freia Toth sent one in off the right post and Mandula Mihok caught the ball in mid-air at centre forward to score for 9-6 before the final break. Julia Frigola needed VAR to make sure of her second goal with Marina Munoz drilling from the deep left. Sara Keszthelyi scored twice for 11-8 down and Ona Jurado sandwiched Keszthelyi’s third with a pair of her own. Kinga Alaksza converted a penalty at 0:14 for 13-10.
Match Heroes
Fernandez buried three for Spain as did Keszthelyi and Hetzl for Hungary.
Turning Point
Spain’s 4-1 and 7-2 advantages.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain managed five from eight on extra and Hungary four from six. Spain missed one of two penalty attempts and Hungary converted one. Hungary took the steals at nine to seven and Spain the shooting at 44.8 to 41.7 per cent.
Classification 5-8 Semifinals
Match 53. GREECE 22 NETHERLANDS 9 (5-4, 5-2, 8-2, 4-1)
Greece, expected to be one of the top four teams here, will have to settle for playing off for fifth place on Sunday. It was hard to separate the teams in the first half even though Greece emerged with a one-goal separation. The Dutch led 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 before Greece triumphed 5-4 with a pair of goals inside the final minute. Marjolein de Gier, who came into the match with 15 goals, took a pass at centre forward to score the opener of the second period. Greece struck form and slammed in four goals for 9-5 with a traded pair near halftime leaving the Greeks four up. This became six up two minutes into the third quarter with Rafaela Saltamanika claiming her third goal from deep left. Goals were exchanged and Angeliki Daskalaki drove to centre for a score. Saltamanika and Anastasia Bikou, for her second, went on counter for 16-7. De Gier broke the run with a drilling from the top but Bikou responded from the same position and Nefeli Krassa hit her third on counter to end the period at 18-8. Greece threw four goals before Myrthe Broekmate responded for 22-9, 14 seconds from the final buzzer.
Match Heroes
Saltamanika with four goals and triples to Bikou and captain Krassa for Greece. De Gier, Broekmate and Lin Godefrooij scored twice each for the Dutch.
Turning Point
The dam burst after 5-5 with the Greeks displaying all their skills with abandon.
Stats Don’t Lie
Greece secured a majestic eight from 11 on extra and stopped two of three; scored one penalty goal to two; won the steals 15 to five and the shooting at 66.7 to 33.3 per cent.
Match 54. CANADA 10 CHINA 9 (0-3, 3-3, 3-1, 4-2)
Canada clinched victory off China, mainly through the strength of Ava Kyfiuk at centre forward, scoring two important goals early in the third period and an equasliser in the fourth that were the springboard to success. China began the stronger and went through with a clean sheet to the first break. Captain Zhang Jingwen jumped on to a rebound to score from two metres and followed up with a penalty goal — her 20th goal of the week — before Gu Yuxuan thumped the air in pride with her first goal from deep right. Canada scored the skinniest of goals as Adelyn Kyfiuk shot a hopeful ball into the bottom right and it worked, bouncing off the goalkeeper as she fumbled for the ball. Zhang Jingwen converted a second penalty goal as goals were exchanged until the halftime break. Sonia Paun worked hard with a hand in her face as she scored at two metres for 4-2 down. Yu Anran sat up at centre to receive a cross pass on extra and Clara Burnatowski claimed her first goal of the week with a rocket shot off a pass. Yin Yiting scored unopposed at deep left for 6-3 at 3:28 — the final score of the half. Netherlands negated the three-goal deficit in the third quarter with Ava Kyfiuk hammering in two goals from centre forward and Clara Milliker Shyiak levelling from outside. Gu earned a second goal from deep right at 1:06 to give China a 7-6 lead at the final break. Kyfiuk started on extra and the swing really came when Zhang Jingwen had her penalty rejected and captain McKenna Pineda-McLean scored at the other end for the 8-7 advantage. Lujayn Abdelfattah scored from the right post and it was two up. Penalty goals were swapped and Gu drilled from deep right for 10-9 at 1:58. The big chance came for China on extra at 0:21, taking a timeout. The passing was erratic and the shot, probably not was intended, was blocked over the back line. Canada held on to the ball and had the win.
Match Heroes
Ava Kyfiuk was the star with three goals and goalkeeper Alexandra Stoddard made seven saves. China’s Zhang Jingwen scored four.
Turning Point
Ava Kyfiuk equalising and the penalty miss and counter goal setting Canada up for victory.
Stats Don’t Lie
Canada made three from seven on extra and blocked five of six. Canada took its one penalty chance while China netted three from four. Canada edged China nine-eight in steals and the shooting at 38.5 to 31 per cent.
Classification 9-12 Semifinals
Match 51. NEW ZEALAND 12 CROATIA 14 (2-4, 1-1, 6-3, 3-6)
Croatia moved into the play-off for ninth on Sunday. Two years ago, New Zealand claimed eighth and Croatia ninth, so it was always going to be close. Croatia began the way it wished to carry on and that was scoring go-ahead goals. Nina Jazvin, with a powerful centre forward strike, started the scoring with Lara Srhoj — who played the World Cup Division II tournament this year — turning her defender at very wide bottom right and marching in to score for 2-0. Goals were traded with Srhoj scoring the second and third goals from similar positions at top right. India-Rose Scholes began the second quarter to lift New Zealand to one behind for the third time, firing in off a cross pass on extra. Neli Jankovic, the powerful senior international, rose high to accept a cross to the left for 5-3 at 1:08, more than four minutes after the previous goal. It proved to be a 1-1 quarter. New Zealand went rampant in the third period with Scholes adding three to her tally. The most interesting moment was when Croatia scored on counter only for a successful penalty challenge wiped that and Isabella Lambie nailed her third to give the Kiwis the edge for the first time. Croatia tied twice only for New Zealand to go ahead through Scholes and Lambie. However, Croatia set the afterburners alight with four straight — two from Jazvin — for 14-11 by 2:02. New Zealand took a timeout and converted a goal, but at 1:09, too late for victory.
Match Heroes
Srhoj was best in pool with five goals while fellow senior internationals Jankovic and Jazvin, who contested the 2025 World Championships as a 16-year-old, scored three each. For New Zealand, Scholes was equally stunning with five goals and Lambie chimed in with three. Goalkeeper Jemma McKinley had a great day at the office with seven saves in such a tight match.
Turning Point
The Kiwis taking a 9-8 lead by the last break and Croatia for retaking it at 12-11 and swimming off to 14-11
Stats Don’t Lie
New Zealand was perfect on extra with five goals and stopped two of four Croatian attempts. Both teams hit two penalty goals; Croatia won the steals at a low five to two and the shots 41.2 to 40 per cent.
Match 52. ISRAEL 7 ITALY 22 (2-6, 2-5, 2-7, 1-4)
Italy was in no mood for catching sun rays. It was on a mission, sadly not being in the top eight. It needed to vent frustration, use lesser players and test the waters ahead of the expected face-off with Croatia for ninth. Goals were swapped in the first two minutes before a four-goal assault, including two to Lucia Virzi, doubling her total for the week. Gili Borenstein scored from deep right to make it 6-2 at the first break. An Italian pair started the second quarter and captain Shiri Wissmann, who scored the first Israeli goal, accepted a cross pass at centre forward on a mini counter-attack. Angela Ruani backhanded at centre forward with a trade going to Teva Dorfman, on extra, for 9-4 at 4:17. Minuto with her third and Gaia Gattuso, scoring her first of the week, from deep right brought it to for 4-11 at 2:59. An Italian timeout did not reap a shot let alone a goal. In the third period, Italy injected newer players and they responded to the challenge, gaining brilliant experience. Martina Abrizi and Cristina Dottori scored their second goals of the championship and strong centre forward Matilde Lombardo nailed her first with a backhand. Virzi grabbed her third of the match to close the third period with a long shot that the goalkeeper stopped with the left arm and accidentally slapped in with the right. Ruani pulled the trigger on a 10m missile to start the fourth period as Italy was relentlessly seeking goals. Bovo scored another from seven metres while Israel had a penalty attempt saved and Avia Gudes finished extra from the right-post position for 21-7 down. Gattuso missed her penalty attempt and with three seconds remaining, Lombardo scored a most unusual goal, earning the ejection and then receiving the pass back and shooting off the elbow of the departing defender, catching the goalie unawares. The 22-7 score came with three seconds remaining.
Match Heroes
Bovo with five goals (11 in all); Ruani with four, Minuto and Virzi three each. The goalkeepers combined for seven saves. Wissmann was the best shooter for Israel with three.
Turning Point
From 1-1 to 6-1.
Stats Don’t Lie
Italy was spot on with three from three on extra and stopped four from seven. Italy nailed both penalty attempts and stopped one of two. The steals went 10 to six to Italy and the overall shooting percentage was 57.9-25.9.
Classification 17-18
Match 50. SOUTH AFRICA 11 COLOMBIA 12 (3-4, 4-3, 1-3, 3-2)
Colombia opened its international career at this level with 17th place and a second win in Puerto de la Cruz. For South Africa, which has been as high as 11 at this level, a loss today, coming so closely as it did, would hurt. This was an exciting match as they battled for 17th position with South Africa, the more experienced nation at this level, taking a 2-0 lead. Colombia quickly quashed that lead, South Africa retook through a Janey Wood strike and a Colombian pair had the South Americans 4-3 ahead. With the aid of Salome Agudelo on penalty, it became 6-3 and 7-4. However, the Africans bounced back and scored three unanswered goals for 7-7, 23 seconds from the halftime breather. Agudelo started the third and Anna Springer responded. Soon after, twins first-goal-scorer Ane du Plessis and Esme du Plessis were out on three major fouls not far apart. Maria Bula scored on extra and counter to give Colombia the 10-8 margin at the final intermission. Wood converted a penalty to drag one back at the top of the fourth. Both teams took a timeout midway through the period with June Stander coming up with the equaliser after the exclusion period for her second goal and from a six-metre throw. A quick trade drew the match level again. Colombia called a timeout, set the play and let Velez loose at centre forward for the winner at 0:28. South Africa went to a timeout and the resulting shot was deflected to the right.
Match Heroes
Colombia’s Agudelo netted three goals for 21 this week. Velez made two for second best at 13. For the Africans, Aaron (11), Stander (9) and Wood (9) all scored twice. Isabella Duffy, who scored one today, ended with 13.
Turning Point
So many but the winning goal was the real killer punch.
Stats Don’t Lie
Colombia was excellent on stats, winning the extra-player situations four from eight to two from five; the penalty strikes at three while denying two of four; losing the steals eight to seven but winning the shooting at 44.4 to 35.5 per cent.
Classification 19-20
Match 49. MALTA 18 ZIMBABWE 9 (3-0, 4-5, 3-2, 8-2)
Malta finished its first visit to this event with 19th position. Zimbabwe was 14th in its only other visit to this event, in Perth back in 2012. Malta kept Zimbabwe at bay until two minutes into the second quarter. Before that it was the Chloe Amato show as she scored three of the first four goals, coming from centre forward, outside and wide left on lob. Katie Gripper arrested the slide on penalty for 4-1 and Emily Lutz latched on to a cross pass to the left post on extra for 4-2. Amato converted extra and Zimbabwe scored a repeat of Lutz’s goal on extra for Tiffany Small. Zimbabwe scored either side of another Amato goal and Nevise Agius lobbed for a 7-5 Maltese advantage before the halftime break. Zimbabwe stepped up in the third period won 3-2 by Malta, gaining a centre-forward goal and one from Gripper at penalty. Amato lobbed on counter. Malta started strongly in the fourth with three straight before Gripper intervened. Ella Miceli bookended another Maltese surge that had five goals in the last two minutes with Tatenda Muhomba the only Zimbabwean resistance.
Match Heroes
Amato with eight goals giving her 18 for the tournament. Cutajar chipped in with three for Malta. Zimbabwean captain Gripper finished with four and 10 for the week.
Turning Point
Malta’s sweeping start.
Stats Don’t Lie
Malta converted five from six on extra and stopped four from six. Malta gained its penalty goal and Zimbabwe three. The steals went to Malta 13-9 and the shooting 56.2 to 40.9 per cent.
Day 8 Schedule
Classification 15-16
09:00, Brazil v Serbia
Classification 13-14
10:30, Turkiye v Germany
Classification 11-12
12:00, New Zealand v Israel
Classification 9-10
13:30, Croatia v Italy
Classification 7-8
15:00, Netherlands v China
Classification 5-6
16:30, Greece v Canada
Classification 3-4
18:00, United States of America v Hungary
Classification 1-2
19:30, Australia v Spain