Two days after a mastered start against Angola (30-20), Coralie Lassource's teammates raised their level by several notches, in particular thanks to their defense, around the boss Béatrice Edwige, who completely suffocated the Slovenian rear base , yet sparkling against Montenegro.

"We played a very serious game, very committed defensively. We really managed to implement what we wanted, especially in the first period," said the coach of the France team, Olivier Krumbholz, after the meeting.

As for the quarter-final of the Olympic Games against the Netherlands (French victory 32-22), the French very quickly took the lead (6-0, 12th), helped by the saves of Laura Glauser, again tenured.

"It's huge, I don't think it's happened to us before. We're super happy, Laura is really in her competition, Cléo (Cléopatre Darleux) is going to come in gradually. I think the goalkeepers have helped us a lot and we Helped them a lot ", appreciated Béatrice Edwige, after the match.

"We had counter-attacking balls. We also found good solutions in attack, even if we lost a few balls. The downside is the efficiency in shooting, we could have been much more in the ease ", qualified the coach, in view of the confrontations to come, in particular in the main round.

French left-back Estelle Nze Minko shoots on goal against Slovenia, during the 2nd day of group A of the 2021 World Handball Championship, December 5, 2021 in Granollers (Spain) Pau BARRENA AFP

"It sends a message"

This defense, a real trademark of the France team for several years, allowed the ball to come back, like Darleux's millimeter recovery on winger and captain Coralie Lassource at the start of the second half.

Left-back Ana Gros only scored her first goal after 13 minutes, and was quickly put on the bench by Slovenia's Montenegrin coach Dragan Azic.

The Slovenian right-back Ana Gros, facing the French defense, during the 2nd day of group A of the 2021 World Handball Championship, on December 5, 2021 in Granollers (Spain) Pau BARRENA AFP

Just as imperious as against Angola, with seven saves in the first period against Slovenia, Laura Glauser was well assisted in goals by Cléopatre Darleux (five saves).

Small concern for the coach with the exit of Laura Flippes who twisted her ankle at the start of the second half, and who finished with her left foot strapped.

Here are the French women guaranteed to join the main round with at least two points.

They will have to finish the work against Montenegro on Tuesday evening (8:30 p.m.), in order to arrive with plenty of points and confidence for the rest of the competition.

"I think it sends a message, it's not trivial that we won our first two games of 10 goals. Now we know each other a little in the international context, I think the other teams also know that we did not come here to sunbathe in Barcelona, ​​but to get something, "warns center-half Grâce Zaadi, the game's top player.

© 2021 AFP