Thanks to a very clear victory against Bahrain (42-28), the Blues qualified without forcing for their fourth consecutive Olympic semi-final.
After Beijing, London and Rio, the Blues are in the semi-finals in Tokyo! Opposed to a Bahraini team new to the competition, Guillaume Gille’s players performed at a very high level to secure a fourth consecutive Olympic semi-final and be one victory away from bringing Japan a medal. . However, during the first 20 minutes, it was not such an obvious match for the France team.. If Nikola Karabatic (2 goals on 3 shots) gave the “la” of the match, the Bahrainis clung, in particular thanks to Husain Alsayyad (5 goals on 13 shots). During this first phase of the match, the gap fluctuated between one and three goals but always in favor of a France team which has never been led to the score and will always have led, apart from the equalizer of Bahrain in the first moments of the meeting. But, in the last ten minutes before the break, the Blues put a big boost to greatly facilitate this quarter-final which was unbalanced from the start.
?? 42 ⚡ 28 ??
BLUES ARE IN THE SEMI-FINALS ?
At the end of a controlled match, victory makes sense! BRAVO GENTLEMEN ? #BlueberryProud #Tokyo2020 #FRABAR pic.twitter.com/DfSNa8l2Zl
– French Handball teams (@FRAHandball) August 3, 2021
Serious Blues can see the podium
Thanks to Romain Lagarde (1 goal on 1 shot) for his first match in the Olympic Games, Nedim Remili (4 goals on 5 shots) or even Dika Mem (5 goals on 6 shots), but also Vincent Gérard in the goal (3 shutdowns at 19% efficiency), the Habs gave their opponents an 8-2 in just over eight minutes. A series that allowed them to find their locker room with a margin of seven goals. With pride, the Bahrainis started strong the second act of this quarter-final. Ali Merza Ali (4 goals on 6 shots) then Mohamed Ahmed (4 goals on 7 shots) brought their team to five lengths before losing the thread of the meeting. In the space of almost a quarter of an hour, they could only score two goals for Yann Genty (5 saves at 28% efficiency) when the teammates of a Kentin Mahé still in great shape (9 goals out of 10 shots), with the impactful entry into play of Valentin Porte (3 goals out of 3 shots), scored the trifle of twelve goals. The gap then flew to sixteen lengths with six minutes still to play. Qualification in the pocket, the Habs eased off but won by fourteen goals (42-28). A clear success which opens wide the doors of the last square to them with Egypt or Germany which will be on their way.
TOKYO / HANDBALL OLYMPIC GAMES (H)
From July 24 to August 7, 2021 (program in French time)
QUARTER-FINAL
Tuesday August 3
France – Bahrain: 42-28
6h15 : Spain – Sweden
10h00: Norway – Denmark
13h45 : Germany – Egypt
