Youth Handball Team One Win Away from World Championship
A major achievement: The Israeli team defeated Montenegro 31:27, advancing to the 9-16 placement matches. They are now just one win away from securing a spot in the prestigious tournament.
A major achievement for the youth handball team, which defeated Montenegro 31:27 to advance to the 9-16 placement matches. The team is now one win away from an historic qualification for the World Championship, following the announcement that the top 15 teams in the tournament will qualify for next summer's event. Should the team succeed in its next mission, it will join the U-21 squad, which has already secured its place in the 2027 World Championship.
The match was hard-fought. After a hesitant start, Dagani put the team ahead 3:2, and Tobis extended the lead to 7:5. The Montenegrins fought back repeatedly, but a strong finish by team star Yonatan Pelach gave Israel a 15:13 lead at halftime. The team started the second half well, and following Ruben Oanunu's performance against Switzerland, it was goalkeeper Amit Maroz's turn to shine. The team led 18:14 before a brief slump allowed the Montenegrins to equalize at 21:21. Pelach, as usual, stepped up to restore the lead, and a crucial goal by Ganal provided a two-goal cushion. The final minutes were excellent: Pelach made it 28:25 in the 55th minute, and Gurvich scored to make it 30:26, sparking celebrations.
Scorers: Yonatan Pelach 14, Geva Dagani 4, Itay Gurvich 3, Tomer Michaelis 3, Rom Tobis 2, Nevo Masika 2, Roi Ganal 1, Noam Levy 1, Ido Malul 1.
