France will play Croatia in the Men's Junior World Handball Championship final ©IHF/Twitter

France, the 2015 champions, set up a showdown with Croatia at the Men's Junior World Handball Championship in Spain after holding their nerve to defeat Egypt in the semi-final.

The French prevailed 35-33 at Pavillón Municipal de Deportes in Pontevedra, with Noah Gaudin leading their score charts on seven.

Mohsen Ramadan Mahmoud, Seif Mohamed Elderaa and Hazem Mamdouh Mohamed scored five apiece for Egypt, the only African team to win the competition when they triumphed in 1993.

Egypt's hopes of a second title came to an end ©IHF/Twitter
Egypt's hopes of a second title came to an end ©IHF/Twitter

In the other last-four clash, Croatia battled to a 31-28 triumph over Portugal.

The final will be contested tomorrow at El Complejo Deportivo de As Travesas in Vigo.

Egypt and Portugal will meet in the third-place playoff at the same venue.

Denmark defeated Norway 40-34 to set up a duel with Slovenia for fifth place, the Slovenians having got the better of Tunisia 31-27. Norway and Tunisia will battle it out for seventh.