At the end of a match controlled from start to finish and led at a sometimes furious pace, the French team surpassed Slovenia to sign its third success (31-27) and reach the main round with plenty of points.
23:15 – Good night
Thank you all for accompanying us to follow this last match of the preliminary round between France and Slovenia. Continuation of the women’s handball world championship Wednesday December 6 at 6 p.m. against Austria.
23:10 – At full speed, the match summary
We knew France was capable of defending strongly and stifling its adversaries. We don’t deny ourselves like that after 20 years of building all our successes on this immutable recipe. We knew she was less capable of beating the team in front by setting a crazy pace. This is what she did all evening against Slovenia who ended up giving up, out of breath against the French shooting stars. A rapid victory which allows the Bleues to sign a third success in this preliminary round, to secure first place in the group and above all to reach the next round with the maximum number of points and already take an option for the quarter-finals. final.
The stakes were there for the world vice-champions, who also had something to prove after a rough start to the competition. With adversity, the Tricolores increased the pressure and did almost everything well to take a five-step lead in the first period. The Slovenians were close to breaking but when it wasn’t the posts that prevented Valentini or Toublanc from scoring, it was the rush that did. Playing quickly, the Blues sometimes forgot the precision in the last gesture. A fault that fortunately for them, they still have time to correct. Also, the Slovenes remained threatening at only -2 at the break.
A score that was misleading as the Tricolores dictated the pace. And it wasn’t going to fall again. On the first action after the start, Sako, who had taken Glauser’s place in goal as is usually done under the orders of Krumbholz, set the tone by preventing Stanko from scoring, before putting Valentini into orbit. ‘a superb pass crossing the entire field. The start of the festival for the French replacement who would sign 9 saves, several of which were impressive in front of Gros or even Ljepoja, disgusted twice from close range. In the wake of the goalkeeper and the Foppa-Horacek duo who skillfully closed the central sector, the French took off, also helped by the major performance of the very young Lena Grandveau. In a right-back role, which is not appropriate, the training centre-half posted her best performance in the selection at 6/7 shooting. At 20 years old, the Nantaise woman took her responsibilities and guided an attack that was still faltering on placed plays.
If everything was not perfect, particularly in the ability to kill the match, France reassured itself by delivering its most successful match in this world championship and can project itself with confidence towards a main round where adversity will going up a notch with Austria to start, South Korea then Norway. An ideal program to gain strength, always at full speed.
23:00 – Sako’s reaction
“Collectively, we managed to build the match. When I entered I was keen to be able to boost the team and give a lot of energy with saves. We are proud of the result. We had the responsibility, this evening, to relaunch the game very, very strong. We knew that we had to take them by the throat with our speed, with our wingers who run a lot. They didn’t have a lot of rotation, so we had to tire them out as much as possible and make them the less lucid as possible. Our trademark is to run, play fast and overtake everyone.”, declared on the microphone of beIN Sports Hatadou Sako. Author of nine saves in the second half, the goalkeeper was one of the great architects of the French victory against Slovenia.
22:45 – The main round program
First in its group, the France team will therefore enter the main round with 4 points, like Norway. In fact, the Blues will face Austria next Wednesday at 6 p.m., before playing against South Korea on Friday December 8 at 6 p.m. again and finishing in style against the reigning world champions at home on Sunday December 10 at 8:30 p.m. We remind you, the first two of this group of 6 will see the quarter-finals.
The classification of Group II: 1. Norway – 4 pts / 2. France – 4 pts / 3. Austria – 2 pts / 4. Slovenia – 2 pts / 5. South Korea – 0 pt / 6. Angola – 0 pt.
22:35 – Krumbholz’s reaction
“They played as we thought they would with the return of Ana (Gros) who scored goals and served as a fixation point. We held them irregularly but the essential is done. We won by four goals, which is a decent gap in a tense match. We couldn’t find a way to get further away. We felt like we could escape at times but they always came back. We had a match very serious”declared Olivier Krumbholz at the microphone of beIN Sports, who praised the individual performances of some of his players but also the speed put in by his team to compensate for a placed game still in gestation.
22:27 – Victory for France (31-27)
The French team completes its preliminary round with a third victory in as many matches. The Tricolores left nothing to chance to defeat Slovenia, imposing a hellish pace and relying in the second half on a very strong defense around the Foppa-Horacek duo and a very inspired Sako in his goal.
VICTORY ! ???????? 31 – 27 ????????
It’s over ! Third consecutive victory for the BLEUES synonymous with 1st place in group D ????
Now for the main round ????#BluetFoer pic.twitter.com/fjNCnjZoiA— French Handball Teams (@FRAHandball) December 4, 2023
22:25 – Abina fires from afar (31-27)
At 11 m, Abina rises and manages to give a lot of power to her shot which deceives the counter tricolor and Sako on the left.
22:23 – Horacek on penalty (31-26)
The Blues are on the verge of refusing to play but Horacek takes a corner on the left. On this action, Grandveau is found and the Nantaise fights to obtain a penalty which Horacek takes it upon himself to achieve with conviction, with a powerful shot to the left.
22:19 – Stanko maintains the Slovenes (30-26)
Kanor attacks the central sector but misses his uncrossed shot to the right. Pandzic quickly raises on Stanko near her. The center half sees the cage empty and brings his team to 4 goals with an impeccable shot from the other end of the field.
22:19 – Sako again (30-25)
On the action following the temporary exclusion of Nze Mino, the Slovenes put the ball on the pivot. Ljepoja wraps himself around Horacek and attempts a chabala which Sako rejects.
22:18 – Nze Minko excluded for 2 minutes
In the central sector, tempers are heating up and Nze Minko criticizes a whistle. The French captain is excluded for two minutes.
22:16 – Sako continues his festival
Svetik overtakes Lassource and goes to challenge Sako but comes up against the tricolor rampart. The Blue goalkeeper keeps the gap at five goals 7 minutes from the end of the match.
22:14 – Lassource on the counter (29-24)
At 9 m in support, Lazovic tries a downward shot but Sako throws himself to the ground and makes another save. Behind, Horacek serves as a launching pad for Lassource who restores his team’s five-goal lead.
22:13 – Stanko in a mouse hole (28-24)
From the back base, Stanko comes in percussion and slips into the gap between Granier and another Frenchwoman to beat Sako.
22:11 – Grandveau does good (28-23)
Horacek does not let go of Gros and prevents him from expressing himself to the point of causing a Slovenian refusal to play. Behind, the Blues are moving forward at 1,000 miles an hour with Nze Minko and Grandveau finishing the job with a well-executed rebound shot. The French are +5 with 10 minutes remaining in the match.
22:09 – Lassource digs (27-22)
Foppa is imperial in defense and misses the ball into the Slovenian hands. On the restart, Lassource was found in front of the opposing goal and scored without difficulty, the goalkeeper not having time to return before the winger’s shot.
22:08 – In double superiority (26-22)
On the left wing, Lassource has the door closed very violently by Abina, who is late. The Slovenian full-back is excluded for two minutes, leaving her team with 4 outfield players. Behind, Horacek converts the penalty on the right.
22:06 – Lassource in check (25-22)
Foppa gets the second expulsion for two minutes from Ljepoja, guilty of grabbing her by the collar and putting her on the ground. Behind, Lassource is served on his left wing but Pandzic perfectly closes the opposite angle and makes the save.
22:05 – Sako’s show (25-22)
Gros has gained confidence with his two goals in a row and wants to strike while the iron is hot. Bad luck for Slovenia’s star full-back, Sako reads his cross shot perfectly and deflects it with both hands.
22:04 – Foppa with determination (25-22)
Huge work in the central sector from Foppa who takes blows but struggles to pass and succeeds in scoring on the left.
22:03 – Gros unlocks (24-22)
The French defense puts the Slovenes in difficulty, who get a whistle but with the referees’ arm raised. At 9 m, Gros takes responsibility and manages to send his shot between Kanor’s arms and pierce Sako’s net.
21:58 – Lazovic in force, Big on penalty (23-21)
On the left side, Lazovic pushes Sercien-Ugolin and forces Foppa to come to the rescue to prevent him from shooting. The defense takes place in the zone and awards a penalty to Slovenia. Gros transforms it with a delicious chabala to the left, just above Sako’s right arm.
21:56 – The Slovenes remain in contact (22-19)
Horacek rushes into the central sector and sees his rebound shot easily stopped. Behind, Slovenia did not miss the opportunity to come back to three goals thanks to the good work of Ljepoja who, by going to the ground, took Sako and deceived her high up.
21:54 – Varagic clears the top corner (21-17)
The Slovenes attack with patience. If Gros is blocked, behind, Masvar serves Varagic on the right wing. The Slovenian winger refocuses and deceives Sako by aiming for the opposite corner.
9:52 p.m. – The Blues are going fast (21-16)
A thunderous start to the second half for the French who play the engagements quickly, mount the ball hard and overtake the Slovenian defense behind Sako’s three saves. In a placed attack, Grandveau takes the defense to the left and releases the ball for Foppa who grabs it and beats the opposing goalkeeper closely and gives a 5-goal lead.