REPLAY. France-North Macedonia: Les Bleus finish the main round undefeated and are ready for the quarter-finals

Mem a été en grande réussite contre les Pays-Bas avec sept buts marqués. FFHandball – Iconsport

The French handball team won its third and final match of the main round of the 2025 World Cup at the Varazdin Arena against North Macedonia, this Saturday, January 25 (32-25).

A match to relive here:

9:58 p.m.

End of the match: France 32 – 25 North Macedonia

The French team ensures the essentials with a new victory without a hitch to end the main round with a new victory. Seriously, the Blues have avoided injuries and are ready for the rest of the competition, this Tuesday in the quarter.

9:57 p.m.

59e

Mitev comes to get a 7m throw for a defense in the zone. Kuzmanovski deceives Bolzinger (31-25). Minne finds another nice impact from the 9m (32-25). Kuzmanovski sees his last attempt stopped by Bolzinger.

21h56.

58e

Richardson adds a goal with a long-distance shot from 9m (31-24).

21h55.

57e

Refusal of play against Macedonia that Bolzinger stops with a nice split.

21h54.

56e

New block from Konan on an attempt from Lazarevski.

9:52 p.m.

55th

Richardson then Grebille collide with the Macedonian goalkeeper. The counter is again stopped by Prandi. Karabatic intercepts a pass and Prandi scores the counter in a duel (30-24).

21h51.

54e

Gjorgiev finds the outer gap and deceives Bolzinger at the near post (29-24).

21h50.

53e

Karabatic against Mitev and Grebille goes for a 7m throw and two minutes for Velkovski that Richardson does not score, well stopped by Galevski.

21h49.

52e

Richardson finds the post but Grebille manages to recover the ball and score at the far post (29-23).

9:48 p.m.

51e

Interception of Grebille which puts Bos into orbit but which is punished by a support in the zone. Market against Macedonia on the following attack.

21h47.

50e

Minne uses his liveliness to outpace the defense and score from the long corner (28-23).

21h45.

49e

Richardson is checked by Mitrevski but Karabatic followed up well and scored from close range (27-22). Konan's zone defense and a 7m throw for Kuzmanovski who scores (27-23).

9:44 p.m.

48e

Briet is again checked and the counter led by Markoski who brings Macedonia back to 4 lengths (26-22). Timeout requested by France.

9:42 p.m.

47e

Peshevski is finally checked by Bolzinger at 6m, Mem capitalizes on this save with a new easy goal at 9m (26-20). Save by Bolzinger but bad pass on the restart. Atanasijevikj scores with a long shot (26-21).

21h42.

46e

Mem is left too free again at 9m and takes his chance without worries (25-20).

21h41.

45e

Peshevski keeps Macedonia in the game with his third goal in a few minutes (24-20).

21h40.

44e

Market against Atanasijevikj but Briet does not find the solution to give his ball and the latter is returned to Macedonia.

9:39 p.m.

43e

Peshevski is again found at 6m and beats Desbonnet (23-19). Bolzinger enters the place of a very good Desbonnet tonight (36%). Tournat still rules from 6m and gives France a slight lead again (24-19).

21h37.

42e

A lost ball from the Blues and Kosteski goes to score in the empty net (23-18). On his wing, Kounkoud takes his chance but smashes the crossbar. The Blues have not scored for several minutes. Timeout requested by North Macedonia.

21h35.

41e

Mem shoots too quickly and hits the post. Bos is suspended for two minutes for pulling his shirt too violently. Markoski is also penalized for a walk.

21h34.

40e

Grebille scores from the left wing and Peshevski responds from 6m in two stages (23-17).

21h33.

39e

Mitev has more trouble in the second half and his shot is wide. Another French loss of the ball but the goalkeeper Desbonnet checkmates Atanasijevikj in his duel at 6m.

21h32.

38e

Briet intercepts the ball for the pivot but Minne rushes for the shot that Mitrevski stops. His recovery is missed. Mem tries the roucoulette on Mitrevski but the goalkeeper is quick enough to regain his footing and go get the ball out.

21h31.

37e

Market against Briet. On the other side, the defense completely routs the Macedonian attackers.

9:30 p.m.

36e

Ball lost for Macedonia on the pass to the pivot. France has a +7 ball for the first time.

21h29.

35e

Kosteski scores on the right wing and Mem answers him 9m away just after (22-16)

21h28.

34e

Grebille is shifted with difficulty on the left wing and with a reverse roucoulette beats Mitrevski (21-15).

21h27.

33e

New refusal of play against Macedonia that Mitev tries from 12m well caught by Desbonnet.

9:26 p.m.

32e

Kuzmanovski is countered by Konan but the blue attack is penalized for a passage in the zone.

9:25 p.m.

31e

At the end of the refusal to play, Kuzmanovski finds the gap at 6m to beat Desbonnet from close range. Tournat quickly responds (20-15).

21h24.

30e

France has possession to start the second half and Minne starts with a missile in the top corner (19-14).

21h09.

Half-time: France 18 – 14 North Macedonia

Serious during the first act, the Blues are logically ahead in the score. Desbonnet had a fiery period during which the Blues were able to take off. Mitrevski is not left out on his side of the field.

21h07.

29e

Lagarde takes the interval on Markoski who receives a two-minute suspension. Remili finds the interval in the defense at 5 (18-13). Gjorgiev takes the interval and collects a 7m throw for a foul by Karabatic. Kuzmanovski scores (18-14).

21h05.

28e

Lagarde's zone defense on the wing. Kuzmanovski shoots the 7m, Desbonnet touches him but not enough to stop him (17-13). Timeout requested by France.

21h04.

27e

Forced pass whistled against Mitev but Remili's shot is easily caught by Mitrevski.

21h03.

26th

Launched from 9m Richardson finds the gap in the goal (17-12).

21h02.

25th

Lagarde makes a nice comeback to interrupt the Macedonian counterattack. When the game is refused, Mitev is countered and then Gjorgiev is stopped by Desbonnet.

20h59.

24e

Tournat adds a goal at 6m after a good serve from Richardson (16-12). Macedonian loss of the ball but French pass intercepted.

20h58.

23e

Time-out requested by Macedonia. Very good shift on the left wing for Atanasijevikj who deceives Desbonnet at the second post (15-12). Atanasijevikj receives a two-minute suspension, his second of the match.

20h57.

22e

Although well-positioned on the right wing, Kounkoud stumbles on Mitrevski and Macedonia can still reduce the gap.

20h55.

21e

Richardson provokes a 7m throw and a two-minute exclusion against Atanasijevikj. Richardson converts the 7m throw (15-10). Desbonnet makes another save on the left winger but Serafimov finds the gap and space to beat the French goalkeeper (15-11).

20h54.

20e

Konan provokes a 7m throw but Desbonnet is impassable in the exercise with a third consecutive save, on Serafimov this time.

20h53.

19e

Serafimov finds the long-distance gap (13-10). Kounkoud is well shifted on the right wing and his shot is well placed (14-10).

20h52.

18e

Prandi finds Mitrevski again on his shot, who anticipates well. Mem takes him the wrong way after the recovery (13-9).

20h51.

17e

Peshevski is hit at 6m by Konan and Desbonnet saves the country again against Kuzmanovski. 2nd save on a 7m throw!

20h50.

16e

Kuzmanovski takes his chance from afar but Desbonnet was vigilant. Remili scores the attack (11-9). Market whistled against Mitev and Mem gives France a three-goal lead (12-9).

8:49 p.m.

15e

Tournat is served by Prandi at the pivot position and finishes with his left hand from 6m (10-9).

8:48 p.m.

14e

Kosteski and Markoski put Macedonia back in the game after another save by Mitrevski (9-9).

8:47 p.m.

13e

Mitrevski stops another shot from Prandi. Mitev scores again between Desbonnet's legs (8-7). Prandi will get a 7m throw scored by Richardson (9-7).

20h46.

12e

Prandi takes his chance at 10m but his shot is blocked by the Macedonian defense. Mem shifts Grebille to the left wing but finds Mitrevski in his path.

8:44 p.m.

11e

Remili intercepts the pass and finishes his counterattack with a goal this time (8-5). Lazarevski doesn't falter this time and beats Desbonnet at 6m (8-6).

8:43 p.m.

10e

Prandi scores the goal all by himself. Dribble, external arm circle and who finishes with a shot near the post (7-5).

20h42.

9th

Prandi finds Remili for a kung-fu and France goes ahead (6-5). Desbonnet is hot! Lazarevski is found alone at 6m and the French goalkeeper intervenes!

20h39.

8th

Macedonia is forced to refuse play and Mitev's shot is blocked. Remili misses the target on the counterattack. Nahi commits an anti-play foul 6m out and receives a red card after viewing the video. Two minutes of inferiority for the Blues. Desbonnet makes the save on Serafimov's 7m throw.

20h38.

7e

Mem is penalized with a market but the counter attack is stopped by Prandi with his special in defense.

20h37.

6e

Remili is still not attacked and scores at 7m (5-4). Kuzmanovski no longer has and he equalizes directly (5-5).

20h36.

5e

Mem is again shifted 9m to the right and deceives Mitrevski at the near post (4-4). Kuzmanovski is well taken by the defense and his pass ends without touch.

20h35.

4th

Mem finds the gap again (3-3). Mitev on the left this time deceives Desbonnet at mid-height (3-4).

20h34.

3rd

Mitev is not attacked and scores easily at 9m (2-3). Prandi is checked at 9m by Mitrevski but Kounkoud recovers on the restart.

20h33.

2e

Lazarevski obtains a 7m throw that Kuzmanovski converts (1-2). With a schwenker, Mem comes at 6m to equalize (2-2).

20h30.

1e

Mitev takes the external interval on the right and deceives Desbonnet to open the score (0-1). Alone at 9m, Remili finds the goal without being attacked (1-1).

8:30 p.m.

0e

The North Macedonian team kicks off the match.

20:25.

H – 5'

Fabregas is rested for this match (illness). Mem gets the captain's armband. Little change in the starting seven compared to the two previous matches. Tournat starts in place of Fabregas at pivot and Prandi returns to the left-back spot. Mem and Remili will form the rest of the backline. Desbonnet will keep the goals. Nahi and Kounkoud will be on the wings.

8:15 p.m.

H – 15'

Without stakes certainly, this meeting does not have less objectives such as perfecting the automatisms between the players, giving playing time to those who also remained on the bench or in the stands and especially avoiding injuries before the quarter-final in three days.

8:00 p.m.

H – 30'

The French will cross paths with a former Starligue player in the person of the Macedonian coach: Kiril Lazarov. The right-back made Nantes happy for 5 seasons (2017-2022). The former Nantes player holds the record for goals scored by a player in a single World Championship, it was 92 goals in the 2009 World Cup.

19h45.

H – 45'

In the history of confrontation between the two teams, only five matches have been played since 1991 and the creation of the Macedonian state. They were all won by the French team, the last one at Euro 2024 (39-29).

7:30 p.m.

H – 60'

This last match of the main round against North Macedonia will count for nothing. France has already qualified for the quarter-finals and is first in its group, while North Macedonia has already been eliminated following Hungary's victory over Qatar this afternoon. It will therefore be a dress rehearsal for the French before the quarter-final scheduled for Tuesday, January 28 at 5:30 p.m.