The French women's handball team took revenge for the defeat suffered two years ago against Norway in the final of the World Cup in Spain and won its third universal crown, after beating the Norwegian team 31-28 this Sunday in the World Cup final. from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. A match in which the current Olympic champions made use of their greater bench depth, thanks to the performance of players such as winger Lena Grandveau, scorer of five goals, or goalkeeper Hatadou Sako who were decisive in the second half. A seamless squad that has allowed Olivier Krumbholz's team to close the championship with full victories, after defeating the almighty Norwegian team on two occasions, whom they already beat 24-23 on the final day of the second phase.
That defeat did not seem to affect the Nordic team, which, clinging to the goals of Henny Reistad, who started the match with the same efficiency that allowed it to score fifteen goals against Denmark in the semifinals, stood with a lead of two goals (6-8 ) twelve minutes into the game. A time in which the French coach had already rotated his entire first line, aware that the physical factor could be a fundamental factor, especially after the extra time that Norway had to play on Friday to reach the final. Changes that did not affect, however, the performance of the French team, which not only did not see its game diminished, but also took a step forward, above all, in attack with the presence of players like Meline Nocandy and Orlane Kanor, who showed off of his powerful arm.
Quite the opposite of Norway, which at the time had to give a break to players like central Stine Oftedal, who made clear in each of her actions the immense talent she possesses, or Henny Reistad saw her effectiveness significantly reduced. A circumstance that allowed France to turn the score around with a 9-5 run that put the French team with a lead of two goals (15-13) with nine minutes left in the first half. Time in which the French team, which continued to constantly move its bench, took a new step forward, this time in defense, where Krumbholz's team, led by an imposing Pauletta Foppa, forced Norway to make more and more mistakes . Failures that the French team did not take long to convert into brilliant transitions that allowed France to escape on the scoreboard, after acquiring a more than interesting four goals advantage (20-16).
But if there is a team that can never be considered dead, it is Norway, as the French team knows well, which two years ago saw the Nordic team snatch the gold medal from them in a final in which they lost by up to six goals difference in the first half. A comeback that the Norwegians will try to repeat this Sunday in Herning with the help of veteran goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, 43, who with her seven saves in the second half allowed Norway to always stay alive (23-21) in the marker. But Lunde did not find support from her teammates in attack, especially from the gunboat Henny Reistad, who seemed to show in the second half the effort made in the semifinals, as witnessed by the only goal that the Norwegian scored in the second half.
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A sensational first half in attack and great defense in the second gives them their third world crown. #DENNORSWE23 pic.twitter.com/vyIfZVQIVD
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) December 17, 2023
Nor did Nora Mork show her best version, who once again showed the same discreet line that she has maintained throughout the championship, and only scored one goal from a play in the entire match, after not missing, of course, any of the seven penalty kicks. that he tried. A fact that placed all the offensive responsibility on the central defender Stine Oftedal, who despite her six goals, could not alone break down the increasingly solid defensive wall of the French team. Problems and more problems that did not prevent Norway, which gave a new example of its competitiveness and resilience, from reaching the last eleven minutes of play with a chance to fight for the title (26-25). Something that neither Lena Grandveau, who had to play practically the entire second half due to the blow received on the nose by Laura Flippes, the theoretical starter, nor goalkeeper Hatadou Sako, who replaced Laura Glauser after the break, were willing. Two regular substitutes who demonstrated the quality and, above all, the character to assume responsibility and lead France to victory (31-28) and their third world title with their goals and saves.
On the other hand, Spain will play the pre-Olympic tournament in April against the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Argentina. Two teams qualify for Paris. In this World Cup, two clear defeats by Las Guerreras against the Dutch and Czech teams in the last two matches of the second phase left the women's team out of the quarterfinals and waiting for third-party results to access this pre-Olympic tournament, something that happened.
France, 31 – Norway, 28
France: Glauser; Toublanc (2), Flippes (2), Foppa (1), Horacek (5, 3p), Nze Minko (3) and Valentini (4) -starting team- Sako (ps), Nocandy (1), Coralie Lassource (- ), Zaadi (-), Kanor (4), Deborah Lassource (-), Granier (1), Bouktit (3, 2p) and Grandveau (5)
Norway: Solberg; Skogrand (-), Mork (8, 7p), Oftedal (6), Reistad (5), Herrem (4) and Aardahl (1) -starting team- Lunde (ps), Brattset (-), Breistol (-), Ingstad (-), Bakkerud (2), Novak (-), Solberg-Isaksen (-), Hovden (2) and Deila (-)
Score every five minutes: 3-3, 6-7, 9-10, 14-13, 17-15 and 20-17 (Halftime) 22-19, 24-21, 26-23, 27-25, 29-27 and 31-28 (Final).
Referees: Lah and Sok. They excluded Foppa, Coralie Lassource, Nze Minko and Kanor for France for two minutes; and Bakkerud (2) and Deila for Norway.
Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning (Denmark).
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