La Garrita claimed their first victory at the Women’s U18 Handball World Championship by beating Guinea 24-21. The win came in Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania, in the opening round of President’s Cup Group II.
The team coached by Gastón González Arias built a significant first-half advantage. Argentina led 15-10 at the break after a start that allowed them to control the pace and the scoreboard.
Guinea responded in the second half and drew level at 18-18. Faced with that comeback, Argentina regained their efficiency in the closing stretch and pulled away again to finish with a three-goal margin.
Catalina Podesta was Argentina’s top scorer with seven goals and a 78 per cent conversion rate. Alma Tojo supported that output with five goals, two decisive contributions to the attacking response.
The victory changed the momentum of a campaign that began with three first-round defeats: 18-34 against Portugal, 25-32 against Montenegro and 21-30 against the Netherlands. The continental champions found their first positive result at the start of the placement phase.
Argentina play again on Tuesday 4 August at 12:30 Argentine time against Uzbekistan. The next challenge offers another opportunity to add a win and secure the best possible President’s Cup position.
