Tokyo (AFP)

The French volleyball players qualified for the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics by achieving the feat of beating Poland 3-2 (21-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 15-9) on Tuesday in the Ariake arena.

After dropping the double Polish world champions in the quarter, the Blues will face Argentina in the semi-final, victorious over Italy (3-2).

Facing the Argentines who had beaten them in the decisive set in the first round, the most talented generation of French volleyball has the opportunity to offer them their first Olympic medal.

She who has already given him his first titles, one Euro (2015) and two World Leagues (2015 and 2017) in the nine years of Laurent Tillie's mandate.

"The moment you put your doubts, that's where you have to push," announced Earvin Ngapeth after the quarterback qualification won against Brazil.

This is what they did by hanging on and then winning the second set (25-22) in front of Poland, never so serene, even led by the best player on the planet Wilfredo Leon.

The light of the Blues, flickering after their American rout (3-0), barely visible after their Argentinian setback (3-2), flooded the Ariake arena where resounded the "Go the Blues" launched by a massive contingent of the French delegation - at the level of the general closed session in Tokyo.

Frenchman Antoine Brizard serving against Poland at the Tokyo Games, August 3, 2021 Antonin THUILLIER AFP

The band of Benjamin Toniutti rose to the occasion, the first Olympic quarter-final of French volleyball now hoisted in the last four of the Games thanks to a total match by Earvin Ngapeth, 17 points and so many defenses .

The leader of the Blues, after his breathless entry into the tournament, set the tone.

What was needed was an unshakeable "block" (16 counter-winners) in the face of the Poles' disproportionate strike force?

Ngapeth showed the example of a marmoreal counter in the first set.

Alone at the net, he knocked down a Kurek smash with one arm (9-8) and took the point without celebrating, casually, impassive.

All the impression of ease of this team, the one that disconcerts their opponents so much, captured in one image.

Nothing was given to the Blues in this match.

Faced with the overpowering services of Wilfredo Leon (29 points in total) and the lightning smashes of Bartosz Kurek (26 points in all), they had to do more at all points.

They needed all the insatiable defense that made their mark - like in the tie-break of a roll of Barthélémy Chinenyeze over the panels at the edge of the field or of Laurent Tille himself throwing himself on a ball. a bit later !

But they also found all their inventive, instinctive, unpredictable game missing the first three matches.

Earvin Ngapeth of course signed his special - the reverse smash - in the third set (9-8).

And as since the start of the tournament, Jean Patry has been frighteningly effective in attack (21 points, 53%).

"We don't want this to stop because we are really survivors. We had unsuspected resources, we managed to remain patient, to make simple choices in the block and in defense and it is they who began to make more mistakes than us. To be there, we achieved three consecutive exploits ", reacted Laurent Tillie on France 2.

© 2021 AFP