Paris (AFP)
France's men's field hockey team kept up the suspense on its qualification at the Tokyo-2020 Olympic Games by drawing (3-3) Friday in Valencia in the first of two qualifying matches against Spain .
The Tricolores, who have committed crowdfunding for their Olympic adventure, will win in Saturday's return match, still in Valencia, to participate in their first Olympics since 1972.
World twelfths (out of 35), the French took a three-goal lead in the second quarter, scored by Charlet, Baumgarten and Bellenger, but were joined by the Spaniards, world eighth and vice-finalists 10 minutes from the end. European champions.
Saturday, a victory would allow them to qualify at the expense of the Spaniards, who have not missed the Olympics since 1956. A draw would force them to a session of strokes (penalties) to decide between.
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