Handball World Cup: the France team overthrows Denmark and qualifies for the final – archyde

Since their Olympic title, the players of Olivier Krumbholz have shown unfailing serenity. It took them a lot on the floor of the Sports Palace in Granollers, Spain, as Denmark thwarted French plans for most of the meeting. For precisely fifty-one minutes: moment chosen by Grâce Zaadi (3/4 on shots) to equalize for the score for the first time in the match (20-20, 51^e).

Alicia Toublanc without trembling

In these last ten minutes, the blue madness has overturned everything in its path. It was only three minutes from time that the France team finally got ahead of the score, thanks to Alicia Toublanc (22-21, 57^e). With a 3/4 on shots, the 25-year-old right winger did not seem to tremble as she takes part in her first international competition.

Then, one minute from the end, it was the pivot Pauletta Foppa (4/5 on shots) who restored the final advantage to the Blues (23-22). “We kept a cool head until the end whereas when we were at less four, it was really not easy “, welcomed the coach Olivier Krumbholz after the game, at the microphone of TMC.

Indeed, before reversing the trend, the France team was heckled by Denmark. The Scandinavians took the lead from the start of the match, frustrating the French by taking their own game: an iron defense (the most effective in the competition before this meeting with 18.7 goals conceded per game) and fast play.

Opposite, the Blue stammered in attack, offering too much ammunition to the teammates of Line Haugsted (5/5 shots) who did not ask for so much. At the break, they had already lost a dozen balls.

“We scared each other, admitted the captain of the France team, Coralie Lassource. We made the game very complicated, we lost a lot of balls. We had pressure on our shoulders because we knew there was a medal to go get, we were tense. ”

It is the whole France team which did not lead wide when Denmark widened the gap in the first period: 4-8 (17^e) and 6-10 (21^e). The score at the break did not say everything about the tricolor procrastination: only two goals ahead for Denmark thanks to a save by Laura Glauser on an opposing seven-meter throw (10-12, 30^e).

A providential change of defense

This end of the first period could be a turning point in the match in favor of the Blue. But, again, Jesper Jensen’s players took great pleasure in keeping the French at a distance (13-17, 40^e).

“We were trying at all costs to seize the opportunity if it existed, Olivier Krumbholz analyzed. We managed to crack the door on the five-way defense. ” Usually in check on his initial defense, the coach chose to advance Estelle Nze Minko to disrupt the opposing attack. The dynamic has reversed.