All the lights are green for Blues.
They flew through the preliminary round of 2025 World Handball Championship with three victories in as many matches. The French team enforced logic against Qatar (37-19), Kuwait (43-19) and Austria (35-27).
Even this final opponent, more dangerous than the first two and more atypical with his frequent use of the seven-a-side game, was not able to worry the teammates of Luka Karabatic. The Austrians only led for a minute at the start of the match although they had caused much more problems, notably leading at half-time, to the future French European champions during theEuro 2024.
Such a serious match proves the determination and application of the men of Guillaume Gille. They were able to move up a gear after two training matches to refuel on the Porec side.
“It went as we wanted. We gained momentum. We achieved the objective today. We knew that we had a group phase where we were moving up in terms of level. I think today we played against a very good Austrian team. We knew that we had to validate these four points for the main round, so it’s a good thing to do,” reacted Luka Karabatic on the website of the FFHand.
THE Blues were notably able to gain offensive efficiency in the wake of Thibaud Briet (18 goals) and Dika Mem (15 goals), their top scorers. This is particularly reassuring for the latter who was uncertain for a while. Elohim for lunch was too, but has been there since the match against Kuwait.
-The French therefore have no shortage of assets in the quest for a seventh global title.
However, there was not only good news during this first week of competition. Samir Bellahcene injured his right thigh and is out of the rest of the competition. Charles Bolzinger was then promoted to second goalkeeper and Valentin Kieffer entered the group. This reorganization behind a Rémi Desbonnet imperial but injured in the ankle before the match against Austria had no consequences.
Charles Bolzinger filled in perfectly with seven saves against Austria to avoid any concerns. So reassuring before a key moment of the competition.
The partners of Ludovic Fabregas will now leave the Adriatic coast and head to Varazdin with suitcases full of points and certainties. They will need it as the road rises to reach the next destination, the quarter-finals.
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