Countback Drama As France Upset Pakistan To Break Brazil Hearts At World Junior Team Championships

In a dramatic conclusion to the Group stage of the men's event, France scored a 2/1 upset over top pool seeds Pakistan to pip Brazil to second place in Group F on countback and clinch a spot in the knockout stage of the 2025 World Junior Championships in Cairo.

24 hours earlier at the Black Ball Sporting Club, No.9 seeds France's hopes for the championship looked to be in tatters after a shock defeat to No.17 seeds Brazil.

The Gallic boys, however, found big performances when they needed them most as they defeated No.6 seeds and five-time champions Pakistan 2/1.

European U19 individual champion Amir Khaled-Jousselin gave France a deserved lead when he took the opening match against Abdullah Nawaz 3/0, before Muhammad Umair Arif hit back for Pakistan with a straight games win over Axel Daujon.

It looked like France would fall just short when Anas Ali Shah took the first game of the deciding match for Pakistan, only for a heroic rearguard from Thomas Garcia to deliver a crucial victory for France as he fought back 11-6, 13-11, 11-4.

That result, coupled with Brazil's 2/1 win over Kuwait, meant that Brazil, France and Pakistan all ended the Group stage with two ties won and one tie lost. This meant that every point earned would prove crucial as the final standings were decided on countback of total matches won, with Pakistan topping the group with seven matches won, France finishing second with six, and Brazil falling short of a top 12 finish for just the second time with four matches won, putting them third.

Pakistan will take on Poland, who have impressed in just their second ever appearance at the team championships, finishing second in the three-team Group B thanks to a 3/0 win over New Zealand on day one.

France, meanwhile, will face Hong Kong, with the No.8 seeds finishing second in Group D after 3/0 wins against Ireland and Scotland and a 2/1 defeat to No.4 seeds England.

The women's event, meanwhile, is poised for a dramatic end to the Group stage tomorrow after eight entertaining ties.

There were two seeding upsets in the race for the knockout stage, with Ireland, seeded 15th out of 16, inflicting more pain on Brazil and No.14 seeds South Africa defeating No.11 seeds Germany.

Ireland went a match down to No.10 seeds Brazil when Laura Silva got the better of Ella Erickson in straight games. Zoe Yeomans and Ella Walsh hit back for Ireland, though, with Yeomans beating Alix Borges 11-4, 11-5, 4-11, 11-3 and Ella Walsh defeating Giulia Colleoni 11-8, 11-4, 11-2.

That win puts Ireland third in Group B, meaning they'll need to defeat tournament No.2 seeds Hong Kong in their final tie to progress.

South Africa also hit back after dropping the first match, with Chanté Leppan and Elzandri Janse Van Rensburg overcoming Chiara Lang and Mariam Ayad in straight games after Dené Van Zyl had been beaten by Maya Weishar.

That win puts South Africa level with Canada with one win and one defeat, though South Africa likely face an uphill struggle next, with the No.14 seeds playing top seeds USA while Canada - who defeated South Africa yesterday - take on Germany.

Elsewhere, hosts and defending champions Egypt kept their perfect record intact after wins for the women's team over Australia and the men's team over Canada.