Yamaga (Japan) (AFP)

The Blue are in doubt at the World Handball, and in danger of elimination in the first round, after their second cons-performance in a row, a draw against Brazil, 19-19, Sunday in Yamaga, Japan.

The day before, they were surprised by South Korea (29-27) from the start, but it was thought that this new match against a team that is not part of the podium candidates would give them the opportunity to react. On the contrary, the champions of the world and Europe got bogged down, and without a great game of the goalkeeper Amandine Leynaud (12 stops), they would have dropped again.

"There is a little discomfort, it is not easy because the players are full of goodwill, but they have not found the key, we can not explain it. encourage them, our game disintegrates as soon as there are problems, "said coach Olivier Krumbholz.

Arithmetically, the situation can still be reversed if France wins its next three games. That of Tuesday against the very weak Australia will not pose difficulties and everything will be played against Germany and Denmark, in principle the two strongest opponents of the hen, Thursday and Friday. It will probably be necessary to win at least once to avoid an unimaginable road trip in the first phase, and twice to keep good chances to reach the last four after the second phase of hens.

In the game, it's a metamorphosis that is required because the Blue, so brilliant in the triumphs of the World-2017 and the Euro-2018, are for the moment again a team. "It feels like seven or eight years back!" Krumbholz summed up.

- A disaster attack -

The most damaged area is the attack, catastrophic against the Brazilian, especially in the second half, where the Blue scored only seven goals (12-9 at the break)! When the ball was not too quickly lost, the shooters were all in great trouble, like Orlane Kanor (1 goal out of 6 attempts).

"We did not manage to let go when it was the goal, we had a hard time putting things in. Very few balloons came in. We played on a very small area," commented Ayglon.

Thanks Zaadi regretted the lack of reaction of the team: "I go out frustrated.It may not produce a good game but the fighting challenge must be met.It is the identity of the team of France. to be proud players, there was no character, that's what makes me sad. "

We imagined that this World would be complicated from the mental point of view as it is difficult to stay in the breach, especially just a few months from the supreme goal of their career, the Tokyo Olympics. It is first "trying to put the heads back to the place", as Krumbholz asked, that the French can trigger a start.

© 2019 AFP