The French team is having a very good World Cup so far. Icon Sport – FFHB
The French handball team went to Zagreb on Sunday, where Egypt awaits them on Tuesday, January 28, in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, which they are approaching confident in their strength after two perfectly negotiated first rounds on a gentle slope.
On Sunday, the Blues left Varazdin at midday for a short trip of some 90 kilometers to the south and the Croatian capital, where their next opponent has taken up residence since the start of the competition.
The Egyptians, regular candidates for the last four of international competitions in recent years, have, as expected, taken second place in Group IV. But with much more difficulty than expected against the modest Cape Verde (31-24).
“It will be a physical match, they are a team that defends hard, they are quite strong”, projected the right back of the Blues, Dika Mem, on Saturday evening.“This is shaping up to be a perilous quarter-final. But we're on our way, we're not afraid of anyone and we're ready to play all the teams,” Luka Karabatic had declared for his part.
Hesham uncertain
The “Pharaohs” trained by the Spaniard Juan Carlos Pastor, 2005 world champion at the head of the “Roja”, and led by the right-back of Paris Saint-Germain Yahia Omar, are however without Yahia Elderaa, the left-back or half-center of Veszprem (Hungary), injured for this World Cup.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000And a question mark surrounds the presence of their other right-footed artificer of the rear base, MHB player Ahmed Hesham, who did not participate in the main round due to a blow to the knee.
The French and Egyptians will meet again only six months after their confrontation during the group stage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and a draw snatched (26-26) by the Blues thanks to a goal from Ludovic Fabregas in the last second narrowly avoiding a third consecutive defeat.
“It's the defense that must secure us”
“It's so far away for me”, swept Nedim Remili on Saturday after the success against North Macedonia (32-25) at the end of the main round. Six months after the Olympic crash, the blue picture is indeed much more presentable, in form and substance.
The team led by Guillaume Gille won its six matches with ease (11.8 goals difference on average) and consistency, in defensive effort and in terms of offensive fluidity, even if it did not face any top opponents (Qatar, Kuwait, Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands and North Macedonia).
“Don't give anything away easily, don't concede anything easily, since the beginning it's been a constant for us. We know that we have a big strike force in attack but that it's the defense that must secure us”, explains Luka Karabatic, praising “the investment, the state of mind and the combativeness” of the Blues.
The quarter-final of the World Handball Championship between France and Egypt will be broadcast on Tuesday, January 28 at 9 p.m. on beIN SPORTS and in the clear on one of the channels of the TF1 Group.