The Turkey U18 national team suffered a 29-27 defeat to North Macedonia in Belgrade in the second match of the M18 EHF EURO 2026 placement round. Facing their most evenly matched opponent of the tournament, the young national side put up their closest fight yet, but once again left the court on the losing end.
The course of the match ran contrary to the pattern seen throughout the tournament. Turkey went into the break leading 15-13, heading to the dressing room in front for the first time in the competition — a stark contrast to the early collapses seen in the group stage and against Sweden. However, the picture reversed completely in the second 30 minutes: North Macedonia won that period 16-12, turning Turkey's two-goal advantage into a two-goal defeat.
The numbers make clear where the match was lost. Turkey missed 24 of their 51 shot attempts, leaving their attacking efficiency at just 33%. The finishing struggles of key shooters proved decisive in particular: Batu Karabıçak converted just 5 of 11 attempts, while Mehmet Ege Tan scored only 2 of 8. By contrast, Emre Koçdemir was flawless, scoring on all 5 of his attempts, while Devrim Kaya and Atahan Akçam each contributed four goals. On the positive side, Turkey's turnovers dropped to 15 in this match — the lowest figure of the tournament and a clear improvement on the 21-25 range seen during the group stage.
The placement round continues for the young national side. Turkey will face North Macedonia again on Thursday, August 6, with the tournament concluding on August 9. This rematch offers an early opportunity to correct exactly the issue that cost them today: it was the second-half collapse that turned a two-goal lead into defeat, and a second meeting with the same opponent means the young squad will immediately face another 60-minute test of consistency. The first-ever half-time lead, the reduced turnover count and the narrowing scoreline all suggest this opportunity is not without substance.
Source: EHF / M18 EHF EURO 2026
Turkey U18 Fail to Hold First-Ever Half-Time Lead, Fall 29-27 to North Macedonia
In the second match of the M18 EHF EURO 2026 placement round, Turkey U18 lost 29-27 to North Macedonia, collapsing in the second half after holding a lead at the break for the first time in the tournament. The national side will face the same opponent again on Thursday, August 6.
In This Story
- Turkey U18 fell 29-27 to North Macedonia in the second placement-round match — the tournament's closest and most evenly contested game so far.
- Turkey closed the first half in front (15-13) for the first time in the tournament, but lost the second half 16-12, turning a two-goal lead into a two-goal defeat.
- A 33% attacking efficiency and 24 missed shots out of 51 attempts tell the story of the two-goal margin; turnovers dropped to 15 — the tournament's lowest figure — a sign of progress.
The match against North Macedonia was the clearest evidence yet of how much ground this generation has closed: the tournament's tightest scoreline and, for the first time, a half-time lead. But the same match also showed the problem is not fully solved — this time the collapse came late rather than early. Against Sweden, Turkey trailed at the break and won the second half; here, they led at the break and lost it. The missing piece is no longer a "poor start" but "60-minute consistency." The encouraging part is that the test comes again immediately: the August 6 rematch is a direct opportunity to fix this exact shortcoming against the same opponent. If the key shooters find their range and the team can sustain its level for the full match, this narrow defeat could turn into a win.
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