A victory in four matches, against Hungary (30-29) that everyone has beaten since. This is the balance sheet, and ruthless, of the France team in these Tokyo Games. To qualify for the quarter-finals, and thus further defend their status as Olympic vice-champions and their golden dream in the Japanese capital, the Blue no longer have a choice: they will have to beat Brazil next Monday. Which does not look like an easy task. And a success would undoubtedly only be synonymous with 4th place, therefore a very strong quarter against the leader of the other group, probably Norway. But as Béatrice Edwige had said before the match against Sweden, "
we are a team that likes to find themselves in delicate positions
".
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The full Olympic program
The Olympic medal table
Let's say that at these Games, they could hardly do better.
Or worse.
Of course, the daughters of Olivier Krumbholz had inherited a particularly dense group, which did not give them the slightest breath.
But for two matches, the hexagonal mess has almost turned to the ridiculous.
Thus, two days ago, against Sweden, Grace Zaadi had a throw of seven meters at the last second to offer the victory to her team.
Alas, she stumbled on the Scandinavian goalkeeper, for a draw (28-28) that the French were trying to take on the good side against the Swedes who had been particularly impressive, before suffering a thousand ills against the Blue.
Another failed end of the match
This Saturday, however, impossible to see any glass half full. Against the Russians, the mess of the last minute continued with first Allison Pineau who failed on the opposing goalkeeper alone in counterattack, before a last possession of the ball which ended not with a French shot, but on a stray bullet following a disastrous pivot search. For a defeat oh so frustrating while the Blue had notably achieved a very good first period on the offensive plan (17-15). With an imperial Pineau on the seven-meter jets (6 out of 6) and an efficient Laura Flippes on the counter-attack (6 goals), France would retain control of the game until the start of the last ten minutes (25 -24, 52nd), before cashing a 3-0 fatal to their ambitions (25-27,56th) to bow at the end of a length (27-28). Cruel, but to give so many gifts to their opponents, the Blue inevitably expose themselves to this type of unfavorable scenario.