The day after the opening of this Euro 2022, the French team was eagerly awaited for its entry into the running.
Facing North Macedonia, one of the host countries with Montenegro and Slovenia, the vice-champions of Europe 2020, who are aiming for the semi-final according to Olivier Krumbholz, the coach, had a funny match, between satisfaction and frustration.
The next meetings against Romania (Monday) then the Netherlands (Wednesday) must absolutely allow the Blues to increase even more in power.
END OF THE MATCH 🇫🇷 24 - 14 🇲🇰
It's over in this 1st match of group C and the BLUES start this EURO perfectly with a victory!
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Next meeting for France: Monday at 8:30 p.m. against Romania 🇷🇴⚡🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/XYGyj1Vapq
– French Handball Teams (@FRAHandball) November 5, 2022
What you must remember
It's not easy to start such a competition against a formation that is much less well rated on paper.
Deprived of its executives, North Macedonia, whose last qualification for a Euro dates back to 2012, has relied on its young people, some of whom are not even adults!
The game is played on a false rhythm and for long minutes, it is a festival of offensive errors and stray bullets.
Estelle Nze Minko and Grace Zaadi put Les Bleues on the right track but Jovana Micevska, the Macedonian goalkeeper who plays in Nice, is having a good day.
Fortunately, Cléopâtre Darleux also does the job on her line, well helped, it is true, by the inexperience of the opposing attackers.
At the break, there is already no more suspense (12-5), but we are still far from the usual standards of the reigning Olympic champions.
Ten years ago, North Macedonia posed no problem (16-29 defeat) to Allison Pineau, who was not selected this time.
The return from the locker room sees an improvement in the game of the French, more disciplined (15-5, 35th).
The gap is widening and it's time to take a few benchmarks before attacking the two other matches that await the vice-world champions, who will have to increase the pace a little more to be best placed in the final draw.
Olivier Krumbholz rotates widely and the players on the floor finish the job.
The player: Cleopatra Darleux
If the Bleues have on the whole alternated the good and the less good, the goalkeeper with almost 200 selections has shown unfailing regularity.
In 2012, the young mother of a small Olympus had totaled 33% success with 5 saves against this same opponent.
In Skopje, this Saturday, the ultimate rampart of Brest Bretagne exploded the counters: 9 stops out of 14 attempts, or nearly 65% ​​success.
She was replaced in the second half by the young Floriane André (22), who plays for the Neptunes de Nantes, and who shone (61%) against Poland a few days ago during the last preparation match for this Euro.
The number: 15
Or, to within three seconds, the number of minutes it took the North Macedonians to score their first goal!
At this moment, France has not yet made the hole in the scoreboard but the gap is already huge.
The fault therefore lies with Darleux, and also with an aggressive defense requested by Olivier Krumbholz.
North Macedonia return to their locker room at half-time with only five registered pawns.
The fine performance of Floriane André and her rear during the last thirty minutes barely changes the situation.
