The French handball players bent the Netherlands (26-24), Wednesday, November 9, in Skopje and completed the first round of Euro 2022 undefeated. Already qualified for the main round, the Olympic champions have secured first place in Group C and are on track to qualify for the last four.
Les Bleues came back down to earth after hovering over Romania (35-21) on Monday. This time, the meeting was hung (until 22-22). The vice-champions of Europe and the world take full points in the main round (4) and a special advantage on goal difference against the Dutch.
Parades of Cleopatra Darleux
With the top two teams in each main round group advancing to the semi-finals, a clear round to start is always preferable. Like in 2020, when they reached the final, a match they lost against the Norwegians. Among the teams returned to the group of Blue, it will be necessary to be wary of the Montenegrins, in weightlessness during their first round at home, in Podgorica.
The tifos of their boiling public could make the trip to Skopje, only 330 kilometers away by road, on Sunday for the next match.
Even more than the first two successes against North Macedonia (24-14) and Romania, the victory of the day bears the signature of Cléopâtre Darleux (45% of shots stopped). His eleven parries at halftime are to be compared to the six of his Dutch counterpart. His three stops from the start, including a pastis against Kelly Dulfer from the 2e minute, had set the tone.