France and Norway, the main Group II favourites, advanced to the quarter-finals of the Women’s Handball World Cup after defeating South Korea (32-22) and Slovenia (34-21) respectively.

National women’s handball team of NorwayPhoto: Igor Kupljenik/MI-PRESS / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia

France and Norway reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Handball Championship

The team coached by Olivier Krumbholz easily defeated the South Korean national team and made it to the last 8 teams of this World Cup.

On the other hand, the Norwegians also did not let themselves down and confidently defeated Slovenia with a score of 34-21.

France and Norway have the maximum points and will meet on Sunday from 21:30 for the top spot in the group. It will be a repeat of the 2021 final, when the Norwegians won decisively, 29-22.

The winner will meet the winner of the 2nd place in the main group IV in the quarter-finals. Holland is almost qualified there. The battle takes place in the last round, at a distance, between Spain and the Czech Republic.

Both have 6 points. The Iberians face the Netherlands, and the Czechs face Brazil.

The only option for the Netherlands to miss the quarter-finals would be a 19-goal defeat against Ambros Martin’s team.

CM women’s handball, evening results

Austria – Angola 25-30

Brazil – Argentina 33-19

Czech Republic – Spain 30-22

South Korea – France 22-32

Slovenia – Norway 21-34

Ukraine – Netherlands 21-40

Rating of the 2nd group of the Women’s Handball World Cup

1. Norway 8p / 149:91

2. France 8p / 134:105

3. Slovenia 4p / 109:116

4. Angola 2p / 102:122

5. Austria 2p / 110:145

6. South Korea 0p / 101:126

Rating of the IV group of the Women’s Handball World Cup

1. Netherlands 8p / 149:94

2. Spain 6p / 111:98

3. Czech Republic 6p / 111:100

4. Brazil 4p / 120:101

5. Argentina 0p / 90:135

6. Ukraine 0p / 84:137.

Chances of Romania to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup among women

To finish second and reach the quarter-finals, Romania must win their last two games against Poland and Japan.

At the same time, Denmark must not score more than one point, that is, a loss and a maximum draw in matches against Germany and Poland.

What will the fourth board look like

1st place in GP1 vs. 2nd place in GP3

1st place in GP2 vs. 2nd place in GP4

1st place in GP3 vs. 2nd place in GP1

1st in GP4 versus 2nd in GP2

The two teams that advance from Romania’s group will play the 1st and 2nd place winners from the group that includes Sweden, Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary, Senegal and Cameroon in the quarterfinals.

Romania’s national team at the 2023 Women’s World Handball Championship

Goalkeepers: Diana Chuke (CS Rapid Bucharest), Yulia Dumanska (CS Gloria 2018 Bistrița-Năsăud), Daciana Hosu (SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea);

Far left: Nicoleta Dinka (CS Gloria 2018 Bistrița-Năsăud), Oleksandra Dindiligan (CSM Bucharest);

Left integers: Bianca Bazaliu (CS Gloria 2018 Bistrița-Năsăud), Cristina Nyagu (CSM Bucharest), Claudia Pascan (SCM “U” Craiova), Diana Lixendrau (CSM Slatina);

Centers: Eliza Buceski (CS Rapid Bucharest), Cristina Laslo (CS Gloria 2018 Bistrița-Năsăud), Andreea Popa (Brăila Danube);

Right: Daria Bukur (Gloria Buzeu), Alicia Gohirle (SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea);

Far right: Oleksandra Badia (CS Rapid Bucharest), Sonia Seraficanu (CS Gloria 2018 Bistrița-Năsăud);

Turns: Nicoleta Balog (Brăila Danube), Lorena Ostase (CS Rapid Bucharest), Krina Pintja (CSM Bucharest).

>> Here you can read a comprehensive presentation of the 2023 Women’s Handball World Cup

Romania’s record at each World Handball Championship in which it participated

World Cup 2021 in Spain – 13th place: 3 wins / 0 draws / 3 losses / 202-146 (goal difference +56)

2019 FIFA World Cup in Japan – 12th place: 3 wins / 0 draws / 5 losses / 181-227 (-46)

World Cup 2017 in Germany – 10th place: 4 wins / 0 draws / two losses / 150-140 (+10)

2015 FIFA World Cup in Denmark – 3rd place: 5 wins / 0 draws / 4 losses / 270-225 (+45)

2013 FIFA World Cup in Serbia – 10th place: 4 wins / one draw / two losses / 161-127 (+34)

2011 FIFA World Cup in Brazil – 13th place: two wins / one draw / 3 losses / 166-183 (-17)

World Championship 2009 in China – 8th place: 5 wins / 1 draw / 3 losses / 306-231 (+75)

World Cup 2007 in France – 4th place: 7 wins / 0 draws / 3 losses / 323-284 (+39)

2005 World Cup in Russia – 2nd place: 9 wins / 0 draws / 1 loss / 322-249 (+73)

2003 World Cup in Croatia – 10th place: 4 wins / 1 draw / 3 losses / 244-206 (+38)

World Championship 2001 in Italy – 17th place: one win / 0 draws / 4 losses / 129-135 (-6)

1999 World Championship in Denmark and Norway – 4th place: 5 wins / 0 draws / 4 losses / 250-196 (+54)

1997 World Cup in Germany – 12th place: 3 wins / 0 draws / 3 losses / 186-161 (+25)

1995 World Championship in Austria and Hungary – 7th place: 6 wins / 0 draws / two losses / 232-175 (+57)

1993 World Championship in Norway – 4th place: 4 wins / 0 draws / 3 losses / 156-129 (+27)

1990 World Cup in South Korea – 7th place: one win / one draw / 3 losses / 90-100 (-10)

1986 World Championship in Holland – 5th place: 5 wins / one draw / one loss / 151-129 (+22)

World Championship 1982 in Hungary – 8th place: 3 wins / 3 draws / one loss / 159-122 (+37)

World Cup 1978 from Czechoslovakia – 7th place: 3 wins / 0 draws / two losses / 78-67 (+11)

USSR World Cup 1975 – 4th place: 4 wins / 0 draws / 3 losses / 102-83 (+19)

World Cup 1973 from Yugoslavia – 2nd place: 4 wins / 0 draws / 1 loss / 67-52 (+15)

World Cup 1971 from the Netherlands – 4th place: 2 wins / one draw / two losses / 51-51 (0)

World Cup 1965 from Germany – 6th place: 0 wins / two draws / one loss / 18-21 (-3)

CM 1962 from Romania – 1st place: 4 wins / 1 draw / 0 losses / 41-17 (+24)

World Cup 1957 from Yugoslavia – 9th place: 0 wins / 0 draws / two losses / goal difference 2-9

Total: 164 matches / 91 wins / 12 draws / 61 losses / goal difference 4037-3465 (+572).

Romania’s best result in the entire history of participation in the Women’s Handball World Cup

Romania’s best results were: the gold won at the 1962 tournament held in our country. 9 teams took part in the competition, and in the grand final, Romania beat Denmark 8-5.

This team included: Liliana Borcha, Ana Starck, Edeltraut Franz, Juliana Nako, Aurelia Soke-Selagianu, Constanta Dumitrascu, Antoineta Ocelea-Vasilie, Felicia Giorgitse, Iryna Nagy, Cornelia Constantinescu, Aurora Leonte-Niculescu, Josefina Ugron, Martina Constantinescu -Shape, Elena Hedesiu, Victoria Dumitrescu and Ana Nemets. Trainers: Constantin Popescu, Nikulae Nedeff.

Romania later won three more medals: silver in 1973 (defeated in the final 16-11 against host nation Yugoslavia), also silver in 2005 (lost in the grand final 28-23 to Russia) and bronze in 2015 ( 31-22 against Poland in the minor final).

The World Cup is being held for the first time in three countries, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, from November 29 to December 17, with 32 national teams taking part. Europe has 16 places at the World Cup, and three of them have been taken directly by the host teams. They were joined by Montenegro, France and the Netherlands after the EC 2022 ranking.