IHF Women’s Handball World Championship:
Iran off to losing start against Switzerland
Iran got off to a losing start at the IHF Women’s Handball World Championship in Germany and the Netherlands, suffering a 34–9 defeat to debutant Switzerland in the Dutch city of ’s-Hertogenbosch on Thursday.
Entering the tournament on the back of a historic bronze medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games earlier this month, Iran was determined to begin strongly, and goalkeeper Fatemeh Khalili delivered early with a series of solid saves. However, mistakes in Iran’s attack quickly opened the door for Switzerland, which – carried by Era Baumann’s early impact – took control and moved into a 7–3 lead by the 10th minute.
As the match progressed, Switzerland grew increasingly confident. Coming in as the clear favorite, the European side steadily showed why. Mia Emmenegger, Tabea Schmid, and Baumann led the offense, combining for 13 of Switzerland’s 19 first-half goals.
Most of Switzerland’s scoring came through quick transitions, as the team pushed to finish its attacks as fast as possible. Iran, meanwhile, struggled with the pace; their average attacking sequence lasted around 39 seconds and often ended unsuccessfully, allowing Switzerland to dictate the flow until the end of the half.
Little changed after the break, as Iran’s problems continued at both ends of the court. The team went 11 minutes without a goal, while Switzerland maintained its pressure even with heavy rotations across the squad. Seraina Kuratli was exceptional in goal, picking up where Lea Schüpbach had left off, saving six of Iran’s first seven attempts of the half.
Eleven of Switzerland’s 14 outfield players found the net at least once, with Melanie Felber stepping up after halftime to finish with seven goals. Kuratli concluded her impressive performance with 12 saves from 14 shots, underlining Switzerland’s control from start to finish and earning the hummel Player of the Match award.
For Iran, Fatemeh Merikh was the standout performer with three goals in what proved a difficult start to the World Championship. This marks the second time Iran has scored only nine goals at the flagship event and their second-lowest tally overall, after recording eight goals against Angola in 2021.
Iran will be back in action in Group against Hungary today before facing Senegal on Monday.
The top three teams in the group will advance to the main-round phase, while the bottom side will compete for 25th–32nd places in the President’s Cup.