It wasn't always easy, especially at the start of the match, but Les Bleues overcame Romania (21-35) on the second day of the Women's Euro in Skopje, Macedonia.
Already winners of the Macedonians at the opening of the tournament 48 hours earlier (24-14), the partners of Cléopâtre Darleux have officially composted their ticket for the main round of the Euro.
They will have to validate their place in the Group C standings against the Netherlands this Wednesday evening.
The Dutch, wide winners of Macedonia (30-15) a few hours earlier, also have two victories.
Winning this third game to finish top of the pool will allow Les Bleues to enter the preliminary round in a strong position.
Also in Skopje, it will bring together six teams from November 11: the three qualified from group C (France, the Netherlands and normally Romania) who will not be able to compete again against the three guests from group D: Montenegro (already qualified), Germany, Spain or Poland.
The first two of this second phase will go to the semi-finals in Ljubljana in Slovenia.
SORRY?!
😵🇫🇷 What.
kind.
of.
art is this?!
✍️ Chloe Valentini #ehfeuro2022 |
#playwithheart |
@FRAHandball pic.twitter.com/ejg7r4Fr9z
— EHF EURO (@EHFEURO) November 7, 2022
Faced with the Romanians and their legendary pivot Cristina Neagu, considered the best handball player of all time, the Olympic champions did not really have a quiet evening.
They knew it before kick-off: Romania is a land of handball and it is not for nothing that some Tricolores, like Grace Zaadi in Bucharest, live and play there.
Olivier Krumbholz's daughters needed a good quarter of an hour (9-7, 18th) before erasing the Romanian threat led by former Parisian Crina Pintea.
Serious and applied afterwards, the Olympic champions reached the break with a 6-goal lead (17-11).
The hardest part was done.
This did not prevent the French from maintaining guard in the second half.
The gap even continued to widen under the baton of new captain Estelle Nze Minko (23-15, 40th) and in the end, victory (21-35) finally seemed almost easy because Les Bleues made a very good game.
“It would have to be difficult not to be satisfied, rejoiced Olivier Krumbholz at the microphone of BeInSport.
We had an excellent match by ticking all the boxes.
It really is a reference match.
Borrowed against the modest Macedonians, the French team is gaining momentum and seems to have found its cruising speed.
To be confirmed in two days against the Netherlands while waiting for the rest.