Paris (AFP)
The French women's handball team, reigning Olympic champion but deprived of many executive players, suffered to win against Ukraine (28-25) on Sunday in Sumy, in a qualifying match for Euro-2022 .
With only six of the sixteen gold medalists in Tokyo, the Blues had crushed the Czech Republic (38-22) Wednesday in Besançon in their first match since the victory in the final of the Olympics against Russia in August.
But in the northeast of Ukraine, the young shoots of Olivier Krumbholz fell on an uninhibited and euphoric opponent who was still leading with less than ten minutes from the end.
The French were able to react in the crucial moments in front of Catherine Gabriel, author of several decisive stops, to take control and win.
The Paris 92 goalkeeper came into play after returning from the locker room (16-15 for the French) to replace Laura Glauser, effective in the first act.
If the Blue were unlucky to lose the young pivot Adja Ouattara (19), affected to a knee at the end of the first period, they were unable to take advantage of the periods when their opponents were outnumbered.
The Ukrainians were sent off six two minutes, against three for the Olympic champions.
But Mariia Gladun performed well in her cage while center-back Iryna Glibko found the net nine times.
If Méline Nocandy finished top scorer for the Bleues (7 goals), wingers Lucie Granier (3 goals) and Alicia Toublanc (5 goals) contributed to the reversal of the situation.
Both neophytes before this first qualifying window, they at the same time knew how to seize their chance.
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