2023-12-16 16:22:56
While the Blues will challenge the Scandinavian title holders on Sunday (7:00 p.m.), we look back at the four previous finals between the two nations.
France-Norway. Since the beginning of the 21st century with the advent of the French team at the highest international level, this confrontation has become a classic of women’s handball. A must, even. Thus, this Sunday, the two rival nations will meet for the 5th time in the final of a World Championship. With for the moment an advantage of three victories to one for the Scandinavian players. Like the total balance of their confrontations, which leans clearly in favor of the Norwegians with 65 victories in 94 confrontations (for 24 French successes and 5 parity scores). Before episode 5 in the final this Sunday, a look back at the previous four.
1999: money that was worth gold
In Lillehammer, no one expected to see the French team emerge, which remained in 10th place during the previous edition and had never yet won a single medal internationally. However, since January 1998, the Blues have had a new coach at their head, a certain Olivier Krumbholz. The Messin wizard who would change everything and revolutionize within a selection suddenly taken with the ambition to do as well as their male counterparts, crowned in 1995. After having dismissed Denmark – reigning Olympic champion and defending champion – in quarter after extra time (19-17), then Romania in the half with an equally tight score (18-17), Valérie Nicolas and her partners did not tremble in the face of their Norwegian hostesses, whom they looked straight in the eyes, strong of an unsinkable defense.
Leading at the break (10-8), the Blues could believe in their lucky star until the end but a missile from nine meters from Nordic left back Kjersti Grini sent the two teams into overtime (18-18). First one, then two. And if the Bleues managed to hang on despite the expulsion of their number 1 player Nodjalem Myaro (6 goals during this final), they ended up cracking under the onslaughts of Grini (8 goals) and the parades of the legendary goalkeeper Cecilie Leganger. But despite the defeat (24-25), the French team was born in the eyes of the general public, who discovered women’s handball, so to speak, on France Télévision, which broadcast the final live.
2011: the step still too high
Twelve years later, Les Bleues found Norway in the final of a World Championship. Paradoxically, while now they are used to evolving at such a level – they who won the first title in their history in 2003 against the Hungarians (32-29) at the end of a stunning scenario ended with a new extension before coming up against Russia six years later (22-25) – the Blues generally missed out on the event. In their defense, it must be remembered that fate was hard on them with the injuries to Allison Pineau and Mariama Signaté, two major elements of their rear base.
Camille Ayglon stopped in the final of the 2011 World Cup IMAGO / Imago / Panoramic
Add to this the excellent tactics put in place by the Norwegian coach to extinguish Alexandra Lacrabère, author of ten goals in the semi-finals and… none in the final, and you will have an idea of the French impotence during this final, overlooked by the Norwegians (24-32), led by an excellent Kristine Lunde (6 goals). “We didn’t have the weapons today,” Olivier Krumbholz will logically admit. “We were betrayed by our defense. We were beaten by many stronger than us. The managers were tired, they were heroic during this tournament. We must not forget the satisfaction of the journey. Tonight we were too handicapped.”
2017: the second star
The revenge of the revenge. Above all, the return of the Messin wizard. Thanked in 2013 after fifteen years of good and loyal service, but with a certain feeling of weariness towards the end, Olivier Krumbholz left his place to Alain Portes. For an interlude of three long catastrophic years, on a sporting level (no podium) and even more so off the field. Hence this decision by the Federation to bring back the Lorraine technician, now more peaceful and less tempestuous than before. Aware that she had to evolve and adapt to a new generation of players. A return which did not take long to bear fruit since the Bleues won Olympic silver in Rio in 2016, then European bronze. Before the masterpiece of December 2017. However, the story did not start ideally in Germany with a draw against Spain (25-25) and especially an opening defeat against Slovenia (23 -24) during the group stage.
Alexandra Lacrabère in her works in the final of the 2017 World Cup BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Mario M. Koberg / Imago / Panoramic
But with their backs to the wall, the Blues were going to react perfectly to first dominate Romania (26-17) and finish second in their group. Then successively dismissing Hungary (29-26) in the 8th, Montenegro (25-22) in the quarters and Sweden (24-22), already, in the semis. So let’s head to a third final against Norway. The good one this time. Carried by a regal Amandine Leynaud in her goal (10 saves) and a very effective Allison Pineau-Manon Houette tandem (4 goals each), France got the better of Norway (23-21), extinguished offensively by the French defense then even though the Scandinavians had always scored at least 28 goals in each match of the competition. At the time, Béatrice Edwige, the leader in defense, said after the match: “We stepped on them, we had our game plan, we stuck to it.”
2021: and the light went out
Even today, the scenario of this 4th final between the two rival nations remains a mystery. In Granollers, the Blues played a dreamlike 28 minutes. So much so that they even have a golden opportunity to lead by seven goals, which Estelle Nze Minko had the misfortune to miss before being sent off. Without knowing it yet, it was the beginning of the end for the French team which, certainly, reached the break with a good lead (16-12) but also with a certain frustration of not having a viatique more important again. Somehow, the worm was in the fruit, and it wouldn’t be long before it devoured it entirely…
In three minutes, from the restart, Norway came back to the level of the French who were suddenly extremely feverish in all areas of the game. Unable to get their heads back on track, they were then going to live thirty minutes in hell, with an almost unreal score. 17-6 in this second period, for an ultimately very clear victory for the Scandinavians (22-29). “It’s difficult because I think we had the keys in the first half,” goalkeeper Laura Glauser will try to explain afterwards. “And unfortunately we got caught in the second, so it’s all the harder. Norway’s change of attitude, in attack and defense, took us by surprise. They suffocated us, we couldn’t find any air bubbles. And we fell.”
#FranceNorway #classic #final