The French women’s handball team, defending champion, was eliminated by Germany (29-23) in the semi-finals of the World Cup, Friday December 12 in Rotterdam.
Eliminated by Denmark at the gates of the Euro final a year ago (24-22), the Blue will still have to be content with the small final, Sunday against Norway or the Netherlands, for Sébastien Gardillou’s second competition as coach.
Germany returns to the final of a competition for the first time since… 1994, a year after its only title, the 1993 World Cup. Its inexperience in the last four, which it found for the first time since 2008, was not felt, any more than its discovery of the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam after seven matches won at home (it is co-organizing the World Cup with the Netherlands).
Seven, like the number of world semi-finals won by the French… out of seven played. They therefore suffered their first failure on Friday, and the first against the Germans in exactly 20 years, four days after having already given in against the Dutch at the conclusion of the main round (26-23).
Like Monday, they lost logically, after experiencing a breakdown in offensive efficiency, particularly in the second half (only one goal between the 38th and 48th minutes).
Vain changes
As a warning sign of the difficulties to come, they began with a missed shot from Clarisse Mairot, who had launched them against the Danes in the quarter-finals (31-26) by succeeding in her first four shots.
Two days later, they were less successful in shooting (Foppa a meter above, 15th), failing in particular against former Brest goalkeeper Katharina Filter, who for example diverted a penalty from Sarah Bouktit on an equalizing ball in a French highlight (6-10, 16th, to 11-12, 24th).
Behind, France did not score a single goal before half-time (12-15), handicapped in particular by a two-minute suspension for a bad change…
Apart from the entry of Floriane André in the goal in place of Hatadou Sako (16th), not much really worked, including the switch to a defense in « 1-5 » with Orlane Kanor then Méline Nocandy advanced to stem the German slick play, the launch of Kanor as left back or that of Marie-Hélène Sajka on the right. Two players who have only had crumbs to eat for two matches.
Gardillou also brought out the toolbox in the second half, taking a timeout in the 36th minute, relaunching Sako in goal, placing as against the Danes Pauletta Foppa (usual pivot) at right-back, where Mairot took over…
In vain. The French team constantly chased the score, too crumbly and late in defense (red for Oriane Ondono, 45th), approximate in attack (interceptioned pass from Léna Grandveau, 38th, in touch with Tamara Horacek, 42nd). She will have to remobilize to get her first medal under the orders of Gardillou.
