The French have received "a booster shot," as Melvyn Richardson said, losing to Croatia 23 to 20 their last pool match, without a stake, the handball World Cup on Wednesday in Cologne, and are now waiting to know who will be their opponent in the semifinals. If they had already for two days their ticket for the shock of Hamburg on Friday, the Blues were still head of the bad days leaving the Arena. "We wanted to get first place, it does not take away our qualification, but it's not the best way to prepare for a semi-final," said winger Valentin Porte.
Against Denmark? With this failure, their first in a World Cup since 2013, already against the Croats in the quarter-finals, the French have almost no chance to finish in pole position unless Germany is being slammed in his last match. evening (20:30) by Spain, already eliminated. If the logic is respected in the other pool, the opponent should be Denmark. But everything was still possible in the Danish match against the Swedes in Herning (20.30). Norway was the third possibility. The French did not want to overstate the value of this match against Croatia, which played its part in an Olympic qualifying tournament, but they did not want to underestimate the problems encountered.
"We ran out of commitment." "It puts a little brake on the momentum we had.We had risen in power against Spain and Iceland, especially in attack, and tonight we fell back a bit in our travels. 'have advanced two steps and have retreated one, "commented the pivot Ludovic Fabregas. "There was a lack of commitment, in the attitude we were a little less present.There was a little less speed, a little less aggressiveness in all sectors.The difference is made on that. there is no fire at home, "he continued. The coach Didier Dinart expects his players "find their true face" Friday. "We are warned, we are not invincible," he said.