Handball: Les Bleues miss out against Norway and will only have silver

No golden double: the French women's handball team, crowned in Tokyo, lost in the final of the Olympic Games against Norway (29-21), Saturday at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, and had to settle for the silver medal.

Undefeated so far, the Blues failed against their great Norwegian rivals, whom they had beaten in the World Cup final last December, plunging the French supporters into bitterness, despite this third medal after the silver in Rio.

The disappointment is on a par with the expectations of the public, who had vibrated for the first time even before the start of the match, celebrating the gold medal obtained by the French volleyball team. The 26,664 spectators, the vast majority behind the French women, – a record attendance for a women's handball match – played their role of “eighth player” to the full.

But these Blues missed their final attack, accumulating turnovers and missed shots, a bit like against Sweden, whom they finally overturned in the semi-final. There could be no déjà vu against the Norwegians of Henny Reistad (eight goals) and Kari Brattset (six goals), precise and confident.

– “A lesson in handball” –

“They were faster, more powerful, stronger, our defense quickly broke under the battering rams of Reistad and Stine Oftedal (five goals, Editor's note), whispered Olivier Krumbholz. We're going to have to get back to work, we've had a lesson in handball and also a bit of a lesson in humility.”

Will this follow-up be done with the coach? His departure is very likely, as evidenced by the long tribute from the public at the end of the match as well as the emotion of certain players, but he has not confirmed anything.

Contrary to the unbreathable semi-final, the French women started the match well with a 3-0 inflicted on their best enemies. Solid in defense, they saw their offensive game clearly fall apart during the last eight minutes of the first half.

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The joy of the Norwegians, crowned Olympic handball champions against the French, on August 10, 2024 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq © AFP – Sameer AL-DOUMY

They conceded a 6-2 in this time frame, despite Marit Jacobsen's two-minute expulsion (23rd). From 11-9 for France (22nd), the score went to 15-13 for Norway at the interval…

This two-goal advantage grew again to reach six (43rd), as the French came up against the magnificent defense of the “Norge”.

So what was missing? “Juice,” replies Chloé Valentini. “Physically, we sinned a little in the second half. (…) We lost balls very stupidly. It's also because we were under stress and we weren't very lucid. (…) As soon as they started to unfold, we didn't know how to counter them to try to come back. We tried everything. That's the game, they were stronger.”

This miraculous victory in the semi-finals, acquired at the cost of extra time, will therefore have weighed with all its weight two days later.

– Horacek in failure –

No player was able to prevent this collective collapse, not even the two bosses: Tamara Horacek and captain Estelle Nze Minko.

Nze Minko did not score a single goal, while Horacek scored four from seven-meter throws, but none from open play in four attempts… His long-range shot would have been valuable against such a tight defense. This is precisely the asset that Orlane Kanor (5/10) tried to bring, in vain.

“Despite everything, I am proud of my team, of what we have shown throughout this tournament, Horacek said. We can say that we went for a medal at the Olympic Games at home, with an exceptional crowd.”

The Norwegians added a third gold medal to their collection after their double in Beijing (2008) then London (2012), where their emblematic goalkeeper Katrine Lunde (44 years old), still decisive (twelve saves) in the Lille suburbs, was already there.

On the other hand, the well-stocked trophy cabinet of the French handball players, three-time world champions (2003, 2017 and 2023) and European champions in 2018, therefore remains, for the moment, adorned with only one Olympic gold medal.

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