France U20 W beat Egypt U20 W 31–27 in Group A of the 2026 IHF Women's Junior World Championship, overcoming a 14–12 half-time deficit to finish the preliminary round with a perfect record.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Egypt dominated the first half. The African side led 14–12 at the break, converting 14 of their 19 first-half attempts (74%) with sharp movement and clinical finishing. Judy Waled Ghonim, Egypt's No 99, scored freely — she would finish with 11 goals from 13 shots (85%), the highest individual tally on either side.
France changed their approach after the interval. They tightened defensively, forced Egypt into harder attempts, and ran with greater purpose in transition. The second half swung decisively France's way 19–13, built on improved structure and contributions from multiple scorers. Centre back Liyah Naal (six goals from eight shots, 75%) and left back Lalie Lambet (eight from ten, 80%) led the scoring.
The turning point
The first 15 minutes of the second half. France conceded just three goals in that stretch, turning a 12–14 deficit into a 23–19 lead with a 11–5 run. Egypt's shooting efficiency dropped sharply as France's defensive rotation and goalkeeper saves disrupted their rhythm. The gap proved insurmountable.
Key performers
Lalie Lambet (France) — A match-high eight goals from ten shots (80%), plus constant movement that stretched Egypt's 6–0 defence. Her scoring in the second-half surge was pivotal.
Judy Waled Ghonim (Egypt) — Eleven goals from 13 attempts (85%), by some distance the best individual display. She kept Egypt in the contest almost single-handedly but lacked sufficient support as the match wore on.
Liyah Naal (France) — Six goals, one assist, and the composure to run the attack when the game tightened.
Melissa Chantelly (France) — Five from six (83%) off the bench, giving France the firepower advantage in the second half.
By the numbers — interpreted
France attempted 49 shots to Egypt's 39, converting 31 (63%) while Egypt finished at 27/39 (69%). The volume difference tells the story: France created more second-chance opportunities through offensive rebounds and forced turnovers. Egypt relied heavily on seven-metre penalties (10 goals from 7m compared to France's 2), reflecting their need to penetrate through fouls rather than open play. Wing goals stood at 7–4 and fastbreak goals at 4–1, both in France's favour, underlining their superior transition game after the break.
What it means
France finish Group A with maximum points (three wins from three — 24–22 vs Sweden, 38–8 vs India, 31–27 vs Egypt) and advance to the main round carrying two points. Egypt, with one win and two losses, also progress as one of the best third-placed teams from the preliminary groups. France's next fixture comes in the main round, which runs through to the final on 5 July.
Verdict
France showed the resilience expected of defending champions. Trailing at half-time against a determined Egypt side, they raised their defensive intensity and leveraged greater squad depth to overwhelm opponents who tired after an impressive first half. Egypt's Ghonim delivered a world-class individual performance, but handball is a team game — and France had more answers.
Rivalry since 2018
France U20 W vs Egypt U20 W Head to Head Results· 2
France U20 W and Egypt U20 W have met 2 times — France U20 W won 2, Egypt U20 W won 0, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. France U20 W leads the head-to-head with 2 victories from 2 meetings. A combined 107 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 53.50 per match (68 for the home side, 39 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 2 matches (100%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 2 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 18–37 in 2018.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 29 Jun 2026