Latvia's U20 Handball Team Stumbles After Brilliant Victory in Estonia
Latvia's U20 national handball team suffered a 29:31 loss to Estonia in Põlva on Thursday, just a day after a commanding 40:26 win.
The Latvian youth handball team experienced an unexpected setback on Thursday, July 3, losing 29:31 to their Estonian counterparts in Põlva. The result was a surprise following Wednesday's dominant performance, where Latvia triumphed 40:26.
The first half ended tied at 16-16. Andis Bors led Latvia with seven goals, while Emīls Vilsons and Endijs Šnepsts each scored five.
Estonian coach Kaspars Lēss described the two matches as "night and day," noting that after analyzing mistakes, the team improved its execution with a shorter lineup.
Earlier, Latvia's U20 team had won the Baltic Cup by defeating Finland twice in Daugavpils (34:28 and 27:25).
The European Championship top division tournament in Romania begins on July 8. Latvia is placed in a group with reigning champions Spain, Austria, and Iceland. Estonia will compete in the B division in Kosovo against Italy, the Netherlands, the host nation, Georgia, and Montenegro.
Last year, Latvia secured silver in the second tier, losing the final to Slovakia.
