Uruguay claim first win at U18 World Championship with victory over Uzbekistan
Uruguay U18 women's handball team secured their maiden victory at the World Championship for girls under 18, defeating Uzbekistan 33:27 on 7 August 2026. The result lifted Uruguay off the bottom of the standings, while Uzbekistan added another loss to their record. Both sides entered the fixture having failed to win in three games, with Uruguay holding three draws and Uzbekistan two draws and one defeat.
Uruguay's performance marked a shift from their recent pattern of narrow losses. Their previous five matches had seen scores of 55:9 against Fiji, 20:22 versus Canada, 19:23 against Tunisia, 25:26 versus Kazakhstan, and 22:34 against China. Uzbekistan's recent form included a 38:30 win over Algeria, 24:38 loss to Argentina, 23:38 defeat by Portugal, 22:22 draw with Guinea, and 22:46 loss to Spain.
The 33:27 scoreline represented Uruguay's first accumulation of points in the tournament. They moved to three points from three games, while Uzbekistan remained on one point after their second defeat from three matches. Both teams still occupied fourth place in their group, though the gap between them widened with this result.
What stood out was the consistency of both attacks. Uruguay had been involved in high-scoring encounters throughout, averaging 28.2 goals per game across five matches. Uzbekistan's offensive output was similarly volatile, with their 38:30 victory over Algeria standing as their best performance.
The match concluded without controversy or complications. Uruguay finished ahead by six goals, a margin that reflected their ability to convert chances more effectively than their opponents. Uzbekistan had shown resilience in their draw with Guinea but could not match Uruguay's finishing on this occasion.
With this result, Uruguay held a one-point advantage over Uzbekistan in the standings. Both teams still had games remaining in the tournament, and the gap between them could shift depending on future results. The victory gave Uruguay momentum, while Uzbekistan needed to find consistency after their second defeat.