The Blues dominate the Netherlands for their first preparation match for the Handball World Cup

Europe 1 with AFP 11:03 p.m., January 4, 2023

The French men's handball team, a little rusty before revving up, had some difficulty beating the Netherlands (43-32) on Wednesday at Le Mans for its first preparation match for the World Cup (January 11-29 in Sweden and Poland).

After having faced two modest adversaries in October (Latvia and Italy) as part of the qualifications for Euro-2024, the Blues wanted a little more serious adversity, a week exactly before the opening match of the World Cup, against the Poland pushed by its public in Katowice.

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Difference in the last 20 minutes

They were served by the opposition proposed by the Dutch, who certainly are not among the leaders, but are in full progress under the leadership of the former member of the great Swedish team of the 1990s, Staffan Olsson.

The Netherlands of the twirling center half of Paris SG Luc Steins competed for a big forty minutes with the Blues (19-18 at half-time, 26-22 at the 40th, 34-26 ten minutes later) , who raised their voices in defense in the second half.

And won the right to challenge in the final of the French tournament on Saturday in Orleans, Egypt, victorious over the Czechs (33-30).

This will be the last meeting before the World Cup for the team of coach Guillaume Gille, who left in the stands, among his 19 players, left winger Yannis Lenne, left back Romain Lagarde and goalkeeper Charles Bolzinger .

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Decisive Desbonnet

Bolzinger will have been able to watch Rémi Desbonnet score points, in the race to be Vincent Gérard's understudy in goal, in the second half.

While Gérard was not very decisive before half-time (5 saves at 23% success), little helped by a somewhat lax defense, Desbonnet made a few decisive saves after the break (8/22).

Including one on a penalty preventing the Dutch from returning to four goals and two consecutive (44th) allowing the Blues, a few moments later, to widen a definitive gap (+6), by Kentin Mahé.

Gille will also have been able to appreciate the good performance of the left winger Dylan Nahi, in attack (3/4) and in defense, Nicolas Tournat at the pivot position (8/8 at 100% success), as well as Mahé ( 4/4 including a penalty) and Melvyn Richardson (4/5).

Among the young guard, left-back Thibaud Briet (23) alternated the good in the first period (2/2) then the less good after the break (0/3).

Benoît Kounkoud, handicapped in recent weeks by an injury, was replaced early, at the end of the first period, in his position as right winger by Valentin Porte.