It is disillusionment among the Blues.
The French handball players, heavily beaten by Iceland on Saturday in Budapest (29-21), conceded a first setback at Euro-2022 in Hungary in the main round.
This puts them in a very delicate position for qualification for the semi-finals.
Lost in defense with the absence of Ludovic Fabregas (flu symptoms) and in attack with the package of Kentin Mahé, announced positive for Covid-19 the same morning, the men of Erick Mathé lost their means in front of Icelanders also very weakened by the epidemic.
Mathé, who replaces Guillaume Gille, also positive for Covid-19, would certainly have preferred another first.
Because France will have to beat Montenegro (Monday, 8:30 p.m.) and the Danish favorites (Wednesday, 8:30 p.m.), and in addition by a large success over the Olympic vice-champions, to keep the hope of climbing into the last four.
The huge game of the Icelandic goalkeeper
Iceland, now second, is down to 4 points, like France, and above all has a special goal difference (+4) favorable compared to the French, built up thanks to a superb match. Accustomed to the beginnings of canon meetings, the Blues were surprised by the Icelandic enthusiasm. On the back base, Omar Magnusson had fun with the tricolor defense weakened by the absences of Fabregas and Konan to score 8 goals in the first period (10 in total).
Behind, goalkeeper Viktor Hallgrimsson simply disgusted the Blues, delivering 15 saves.
“I can't explain it, it was just amazing.
I really wanted to tease France, to put them in difficulty, but I never imagined meeting what we did, especially in the first half.
The key was the very good defense, very effective,” explained the man of the match after this success.
The France team was also led by seven goals at the break.
"A blow" for Tournat
“We lost in attack our one against one, in defense it was the same. I was the first, we were backing down, we lacked a bit of mutual aid and on the other side, defensively, they put us in the face if I may say so, "summarized after the meeting Nicolas Tournat, who does not hesitate to mention "a sledgehammer". Too feverish in the face of a defense that often seemed unsinkable, the French were never able to come back to score, scoring only 11 goals in the second act. “We got upgraded and it hasn't happened to us for a very long time,” concluded veteran Nikola Karabatic.
The last time the Icelanders beat the Blues was in 2015, as part of the Golden League in Oslo (25-23).
But this victory, Saturday, in a Budapest Arena largely won over to their cause, will undoubtedly have more flavor.
While for the France team, the evening is much more bitter.
Sport
France dominates Serbia and easily qualifies for the main round of the Handball Euros
Sport
Positive for Covid-19, coach Guillaume Gille will miss the Blues match against Iceland
Nikola Karabatic
Iceland
Europe championship
Hungary
French Handball Team
Handball
Sport
0 comment
0 share
Share on Messenger
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Flipboard
Share on Pinterest
Share on Linkedin
Send by Mail
To safeguard
A fault ?
To print