Handball World Cup: wins against Russia, the French meet Sweden in the quarterfinals
December 14, 2021
In what has long looked like a remake of the final of the Games, the French have once again suffocated their opponent in defense, which they have become accustomed to since the start of this World-2021 in Granollers (Spain). After their resounding victory against Russia (33-28) this Monday night, the French handball players will cross with the Swedes in the quarterfinals.
After a close start to the match, the French very quickly made the difference against the Russians without a solution in attack. The second half was another demonstration of the collective strength of Coralie Lassource’s teammates, perfectly on her right wing. They also added a nice offensive touch, carried by the right arm of Allison Pineau who celebrated her 270th selection for the French team, and became the fourth blue most competed with Camille Ayglon, and behind Isabelle Wendling (338), Dembélé (291) and Pecqueux-Rolland (289).
And it was not a failure on a seven-meter throw early in the first period that distracted her and returned to the line afterwards. The Ljubljana hill offered a real shot and pass show, unstoppable for 30 minutes, with three goals including a penalty, three assists and no stray ball. She finished the match with five goals on the clock.
With a favorable match physiognomy, Olivier Krumbholz was able to shoot Orlane Kanor into the match, back after a rupture of the left Achilles tendon in mid-April. The 24-year-old Messina, absent from Tokyo, was able to score a goal in the last ten minutes.
Full of confidence
This success, again with a very large gap (they had won 11 goals against Slovenia, 10 goals against Angola and Poland), is the most successful since the start of the competition for the French, who arrive with full confidence during the quarter-finals, undefeated, with a defense extremely good in place, and an attack that starts to get good on the placed game, sweet pity of the blues in the first matches.
For a place in the last four, it is therefore regulars that the French will find on Wednesday in Granollers, as France and Sweden have already faced each other twice at the Olympics in Tokyo, in the main round (28-28) and in the semi-finals (29-27 ). Olivier Krumbholz’s players aim for a double within four months, which only Danes (1996) and Norwegians (2008) have managed to achieve (at the moment one European Championship).
The road to the third planetary coronation can have strong Scandinavian accents, with French women placed on half the Danish table. Although their first place allows them to avoid Norway, European champions in December 2020 until the final.