The Argentine women's handball team defeated Egypt 27-14 in their second match at the 2025 World Championship, advancing past the group stage. According to the Argentine News Agency, the national team overcame the first round for the third consecutive time, achieving this feat at the current world event in Germany and the Netherlands. Thus, the Argentine team secured third place in their group with two points and advanced to the main stage, where they will face France, Poland, and Tunisia for a spot in the quarter-finals. The Argentine squad managed to bounce back after two defeats in their initial group stage matches: 25-32 to the Netherlands and 23-27 to Austria. The victory over the Egyptian team secured their qualification to the next stage. The Argentines were superior to their opponents throughout the entire game, and with the exception of a brief period towards the end of the first half when they lost their lead, they had no trouble securing the win. Argentina was awarded a penalty in the 15th minute of the first half, executed by right-back Carolina Bono, who missed the shot but scored on the rebound. Additionally, a fine goal came from a fast break by defender Malena Cavo, named player of the match, which closed out a first half that ended with Argentina trailing 11-10. The Argentine team's best moments came in the second half, with a standout goal from left-back Elke Karsten in the 14th minute. She received a great assist from Cavo, evading two defenders to score, putting Argentina ahead 21-12. The Argentine team maintained their strong performance for the rest of the match to seal a vital 27-14 victory over Egypt, a match where the winner was guaranteed to advance. Malena Cavo, who scored six goals and was named player of the match, stated they are 'very happy'. She mentioned they needed to 'regain confidence in the team' after the match against Austria, where they were 'very close' to turning the game around, and valued that it is becoming 'a habit' for the national team to pass the group stage. With the objective of qualifying for the main stage achieved, Argentina now faces a tough task in the quest for the quarter-finals. Consequently, Argentina will begin the group stage with two defeats, from the Netherlands and Austria, and with no points, having to play only against Poland, France, and Austria. The first match of the second stage will be played next Thursday, December 4th, against the Polish team, starting at 11:30 (Argentine time). The albiceleste team will share Group II with France, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, and Tunisia. In this group, the top two teams will advance to the next round, with a particularity: the results from the first round are carried over.
