Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In a night of high drama at Cairo Stadium, Egypt pulled off a stunning comeback to secure the final quarter-final berth at the 2025 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, drawing 29:29 with Denmark after trailing by four goals with just under seven minutes remaining.
The result not only kept the host nation’s title hopes alive but also sent Czechia crashing out of the competition, despite their earlier emphatic 15-goal win over Japan.
Entering the decisive clash in Group IV of the main round, Egypt needed at least a draw against Denmark to progress. Though they started the round with two points, their qualification hopes had been placed in jeopardy after a last-minute draw with Czechia. That result, combined with Czechia’s 41:26 win over Japan, meant Egypt’s goal difference advantage was wiped out leaving no room for error.
Victory would have given Egypt top spot in the group, but Denmark, runners-up at the M18 EHF EURO 2024, proved a formidable opponent. They raced to an early 5:2 lead, prompting Egyptian head coach Fernando Barbeito to call a timeout and reassess the team’s defensive structure.
Denmark dominated the first half with clinical finishing and a rock-solid defense. Goalkeepers Carl Poulsen and Johannes Dalsgaard combined for a 38 percent save rate, while their attack boasted a 77 percent shooting accuracy. Emil Darling Sørensen and Alexander Jensen were instrumental, contributing heavily to Denmark’s 17 goals in the first period.
Egypt responded with a tactical shift to a more aggressive 5-1 defensive formation, attempting to limit Denmark’s fluid attack. Despite narrowing the gap to a single goal late in the first half, the hosts failed to score in the final three minutes before the break.
Denmark capitalized, adding two more goals and extending their lead to 17:14 by halftime. Adding to Egypt’s woes was the red card shown to Hamza Abdalla one of their standout performers with four goals following a harsh challenge.
With memories of their heart-wrenching quarter-final penalty shootout loss to Denmark at the 2021 Men’s World Championship still fresh, Egypt looked to channel that same energy in the second half.
Denmark, however, maintained control, holding a 24:20 advantage with 15 minutes left. Egypt’s goalkeeping struggles continued, with save percentages lagging around 20 percent, while Poulsen remained a wall in Denmark’s goal, peaking near 40 percent.
But the tide turned when Egypt implemented a 4+2 defensive scheme, applying man-to-man pressure on Denmark’s key players, particularly playmaker Magnus Boysen and top scorer Emil Darling. This shift disrupted Denmark’s rhythm, and Egypt clawed their way back into the contest.
With the home crowd erupting in support, Egypt cut the lead to one goal with four and a half minutes remaining. Youssef Laoloua, who would go on to be named Player of the Match, led the charge with eight goals and four assists, lifting his team during a critical stretch.
The equalizer came with 1 minute and 40 seconds left, and although neither team managed to score in the final moments, the 29:29 result was enough to send Egypt into the quarter-finals.
Denmark, still unbeaten in the tournament, topped the group and will face Iceland in the next round. Egypt, meanwhile, advance as runners-up and are set to face Spain in what promises to be another high-stakes encounter.
Czechia, despite their heroic win earlier in the day, were eliminated and will compete in the 9–12 placement matches, as Egypt’s late rally denied them a spot in the final eight.
Player of the Match: Youssef Laoloua (Egypt)
