“A real alert”: the French handball players were unable to achieve better than a draw against Switzerland (26-26) on Sunday in Berlin for their second Euro match. However, poor performance may remain without consequences. Despite this draw, Nikola Karabatic’s band should see the main round, barring a heavy defeat against Germany in the final meeting of their group A on Tuesday (8:30 p.m.).
“Against Germany, the desire will be the same, I think: to win the match and try to reach the main round with two points. We still have our destiny in our hands. Now, it’s true that it’s a real alert”, recognizes pivot Ludovic Fabregas (6 goals). For his final tournament, 40-year-old veteran Andy Schmid, five-time best player in the Bundesliga (2014-2018), perforated the French with his passes (12 decisive) often for his pivot Lukas Laube (9 goals). While the Blues relied on passes from Nedim Remili (11) often for Fabregas as well as on the arm of Dika Mem — seven goals including the last, to equalize with a long shot. The Blues will have to show more on Tuesday: undoubtedly with a turn of the key in the defensive lock and an adjustment of the sights in attack.
“Below standards in attack”
“We were below our standards by scoring so little,” observes pivot Ludovic Fabregas. “That hasn’t happened to us for a long time.” Indeed, almost a year to the day and a narrow victory against Poland (26-24) at the 2023 World Cup. The “Nati” even had the match point, stopped by French goalkeeper Samir Bellahcene on the siren after a penalty sent onto the post by Melvyn Richardson 63 seconds from time.
The Nikola Portner effect perhaps, which the Blues have often stumbled upon (10 saves for 34 shots, 29%). The former guardian angel of MHB, winner of the last Champions League with Magdeburg, delayed the deadline, stopping early a penalty from Hugo Descat (6-6, 13th), and even scoring in the empty goals (16- 16).
Bellahcene satisfaction
“He played a very good game. Portner was also very present in this game,” underlined coach Guillaume Gille. Even if on the Blue side, Samir Bellahcene, launched for the first time into the deep end of an international tournament, did not swear (11 saves for 24 shots, 46%) His entry in the 25th minute in the relay of a Rémi Desbonnet not very successful (2/14, 14%) made it possible to seal a French defense taking on water. The ex-Dunkerquois, who was in the stands during the big victory against North Macedonia (39-29) at the opening of the tournament, stopped two first shots from the start.
His knowledge of the “Nati” shooters, most of whom play in the Bundesliga, like him, who plays in Kiel, played a role. The goalkeeper who is emerging as dazzlingly as he is late (28 years old, 5 caps) can apply for a major role in this tournament in the absence of the usual N.1 Vincent Gérard (37 years old). And why not longer? Because the Tokyo Olympic champion has announced that he will put his tracksuit away at the end of the season.
“He entered this match very frankly by being very present, greeted Guillaume Gille. It is in the end, despite everything, a match that we cannot win. It is a little frustrating, certainly, for him as well as for us, but it’s a good first.” “Of course the first seconds were a little strange, a little moving, because it’s my first international competition,” said the person concerned. “We’re not discouraged. If we win on Tuesday, we’ll finish first in the group. We’ll just have to put in a big game here, with the Germans.” Handball players he knows well, once again.