Suspense, disputes, a recovery after a very complicated first period, class actions and unfortunately tears with the injury of Laura Flippes: this poster between the French, reigning European champions (2018), and the Russians, reigning Olympic champions (2016) kept all its promises in terms of dramaturgy.
All this, while the two teams played the day before, and could not prepare in ideal conditions for the meeting, both tactically and physically.
“It's amazing that the teams were able to produce such a game today.
It was all about handball today.
We played at a very high level, without having time to prepare for the meeting ”, appreciated the Spanish coach of Russia, Ambros Martin.
During the first period, the French defense took water from all sides, conceding 19 goals, a total they reach in some matches in 60 minutes of play, destabilized by the Russian attack which succeeded all it undertook for half an hour.
“We knew Russia would be a great team.
We were really very, very badly embarked on this match.
We showed character.
We are doing very well with this equality, ”admitted the captain of the France team, Siraba Dembélé at a press conference.
Four day break
The delay of three goals when entering the locker room was a lesser evil and the French came back to the score gradually during the second half, in particular thanks to left-back Estelle Nze Minko, 5 goals and a precious help in defense.
Tied on a goal from Dembélé (23-23), the Blue took the advantage (24-23) on a counterattack from Laura Flippes.
The right winger however landed poorly, writhing on the pitch and screaming in pain.
Pending further examinations, Olivier Krumbholz raised a suspicion of rupture of the cruciate ligaments of the right knee.
“Frankly, who are we kidding!” Railed the coach about this programming which forced France to chain a match against Spain and one against Russia in less than 24 hours.
France had requested, in vain, a postponement of the meeting to Sunday, to have at least one day of rest between two matches, in a concern to preserve the health of the players.
At the end of the game, it was the young Océane Sercien-Ugolin (22 years old), with a half-turn on herself, who gave France a goal (28-27), her fifth goal in so many attempts.
"It was instinctively, I didn't think it over, that's what suits me best," she smiled.
Six seconds from the end, the Russian Olga Fomina, however, put the teams tied.
With this draw, the French keep their fate in their hands: a success against Sweden on Tuesday will ensure them a place in the last four of the competition, a goal set by the French coach before going to Denmark, to erase the elimination from the 1st round to the Mondial-2019.
It remains to manage the long tunnel of four days of rest between the match against Russia and that against Sweden, and not to get out of the rhythm in which they have been evolving since the start of the competition.
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