ALL THE ESSENTIAL LIVELIES
POST ORDER
COMING SOON: Live start:
CURRENT: Updated at 17:01
END: End of live:
at 17:01
A starting seven with no surprises
Despite his very delicate quarter-final, Kentin Mahé will be the center-half at the start against Sweden, with Dika Mem at right back and Romain Lagarde at left back.
Michaël Guigou and Luc Abalo will occupy the wings.
Ludovic Fabregas will be the pivot and Adrien Dipanda will play in defense, in a role traditionally assigned to Luka Karabatic, injured.
🇫🇷⚡️🇸🇪Here are the 7️⃣ who will start the fight tonight against Sweden: V. Gérard, M.Guigou, R.Lagarde, K.Mahé, L.Fabregas, D.Mem and L.Abalo.K.Mahé ↔️ defensive rotation with A.Dipanda📺@beinsports_FR and @TMCtv #BleuetFier #FRASUE pic.twitter.com/xT3JM4O3OB
- France Hand teams (@FRAHandball) January 29, 2021
at 16:59
Undefeated Blues in Egypt
Arrived at this World Cup with doubts in their heads, the Blues have since achieved a perfect course with seven wins in seven matches.
Not always successful, of course, but with exceptional mental strength and a will to never let go until the end.
Results of the Blues at this World Cup:
France-Norway 28-24
France-Austria 35-28
France-Switzerland 25-24
France-Algeria 29-26
France-Iceland 28-26
France-Portugal 32-23
France-Hungary 39-38 ( 4 tab. To 3)
at 16:51
Guillaume Gille does not want to stop there
The coach of the France team has confided his expectations for this semi-final.
“
This semi-final is a moment to continue to grow, in this very special context.
The group has learned from past experiences and without redoing its history in the last squares, there are a lot of teams that would like to participate at this stage of the competition.
And there are very few who find that way.
We are fortunate in France to have a team that often disputes the final packaging and that is what is fantastic for our business.
All that concerns me is how to approach this semi-final in the right frame of mind to develop our game, to impose our strength on the Swedes.
"
READ: Guillaume Gille's interview
at 16:49
Another very hot semi-final
Spain, reigning European champion, and Denmark, reigning Olympic and world champion, will meet at 8:30 p.m.
The Spaniards made a strong impression in the final quarter, winning against Norway, vice-world champion, after a perfectly mastered match (31-26).
If La Roja perfectly managed their quarter-final against Norway (31-26), Denmark had to go to penalties to eliminate Egypt, host country (39-38, TAB), however a priori inferior.
Despite this fear against Egypt, the Danes are well established and have won their 8 matches played so far.
They are counting on their iconic players like left-back Hansen, three times voted best player in the world, goalkeeper Niklas Landin or MagnusSaugstrup pivot Jensen to advance to the final.
The Spanish selection had not reached the last square of a World Cup since 2015, when it lost against France in the semi-final in Qatar.
In Egypt, Spain is in contention for a third world title, while Denmark is aiming for a second crown.
at 16:38
Sweden has a bright future ... and a bright present?
Winner on the wire of the host country in the first round (24-23), the young Swedish team then neutralized Slovenia (28-28) before disposing of Qatar in the quarters (35-23).
The future is therefore promising for the Swedes, with the luxury of time to forge a common experience.
In attack, the team seduces by its fast play and its combinations in the axis or the wings.
In defense, left back Jonathan Carlsbogard (25) and pivot Max Darj (29) broke the screen.
READ: Cairo, the starting point of a new Swedish golden age?
at 16:32
Michaël Guigou, the road captain
With Michaël Guigou, the numbers make you dizzy.
This Friday, against Sweden, the native of Apt, in Vaucluse, will play nothing less than his 15th semi-final at the international level.
And if everything were to go perfectly for the France team and himself, on Sunday he could win his 5th world champion title, to which should be added two Olympic gold medals (2008 and 2012) and three European coronations (2006, 2010 and 2014).
An unreal record, as only French handball has managed to produce in the panorama of French collective sport.
READ: Michaël Guigou, eternal youth
at 4:30 p.m.
Claire and Acqueville replace N'Guessan and Karabatic
Left-back Jean-Jacques Acquevillo and center-half Nicolas Claire replace injured Timothey N'Guessan and Luka Karabatic, indicated the Blues' management one hour before the match in Cairo.
Claire (Aix-en-Provence), considered the 3rd half-center behind Kentin Mahé and Melvyn Richardson, will play her first match in Egypt.
He was so far among the 4 substitutes of the group of 20 present on site.
Acquevillo (Nîmes) made his comeback among the 16 players listed on the scoresheet after having already replaced N'Guessansur 4 matches in the first round and the main round (Austria, Switzerland, Algeria, Iceland).
Affected in the adductors in the first match won against Norway (28-24), N'Guessan (28 years old, 83 caps) relapsed Wednesday in the final round against Hungary (35-32 after extra time).
According to the team doctor, this is a new injury to the right thigh.
Karabatic (32 years old, 112 caps) was hit in the abdominals.
Expected, this double forfeit is a new blow for the Blues, arrived in Egypt without the icon Nikola Karabatic, victim of a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee in October, and who lost along the way the goalkeeper Wesley Pardin, him also seriously injured in the right knee in front of Switzerland.
at 16:28
The pressure is mounting in Cairo
🇫🇷⚡🇸🇪 H-3⃣ Do you feel her slowly increasing this pressure of big matches?
😳 📺 We will meet at 5:30 pm on @beinsports_FR and @TMCtv #BleuetFier #FRASUE pic.twitter.com/No6X51rIMd
- France Hand teams (@FRAHandball) January 29, 2021
at 16:25
A handball classic
This will be the 55th confrontation between the two nations, between Sweden, which dominated the 1990s, and France, which succeeded it in the 21st century.
For now, the French record is 18 wins, 4 draws and 32 defeats.
But the Blues remain on three consecutive successes in major competitions, including one at the 2017 World Cup, in the quarterfinals in Lille (33-30).
at 16:14
Good morning all !
Welcome to follow live commented on the first semi-final of the World Cup in Egypt which opposes, from 5.30 pm, France to Sweden.
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2021 World Calendar and Results
