It’s difficult to start a main round of a world championship better than the French women’s handball team. The Blue corrected Austria (41-27) on Wednesday in Trondheim (Norway). The quarter-finals are very close. The reigning Olympic champions have 6 points and took the lead in Group II with Norway (37-19 victory over Angola). They are “not yet qualified but on a very positive path”, recognized coach Olivier Krumbholz.
They could thus afford to lose on Friday against the South Koreans if the Norwegians, title holders and at home, beat Slovenia (4 points) on the same day (but after France-Korea), the only team which can now deprive them of the qualification.
A start to the match finally under control
All the lights are green for the Blues who have never been so little worried since the start of the World Cup, after their three initial victories. For the first time in the competition, they quickly ended the suspense. At the break, they were already leading (25-14).
Goalkeeper Laura Glauser (7/21 before giving way to Hatadou Sako) was more successful than Monday against Slovenia (31-27). On the counter-attacks, the French enjoyed themselves, like Chloé Valentini (5/5). The other winger, Alicia Toublanc, scored a perfect 4/4 in the penalty shootout. They signed their record number of goals in this World Cup, in which usual substitutes took part, such as Sarah Bouktit (7/8) and Orlane Kanor (4/6).