“We must not fall into the opposite trap of thinking we have arrived. We are going to work hard, we know that the Czech Republic beat us not long ago, so we are warned of the danger.” Barely had the magnificent, hard-fought victory won on Sunday evening against Norway (24-23) been validated when Estelle Nze Minko, as a good captain, gave an overview of the French team with a view to the quarter-finals. Namely a confrontation with the Czechs, who no one imagined, before the start of this World Championship, would be invited into the World Top 8, they who had not even managed to qualify for the Euro of the last year. But in sport, the refrain is well known: the years follow one another and are not necessarily the same.
Nevertheless, even if it is necessary to avoid any sin of complacency, the observation is clear: by triumphing over the Norwegians and at the same time taking first place in their group, the Blues have granted themselves a quarter-final on- measure by avoiding crossing the path of the Netherlands, a priori much more formidable than these Czech players who were certainly brilliant against Spain (30-22), but who had not existed precisely against the Dutch (33-20) and who suffered the law of the Brazilians on Sunday (27-30), which could have eliminated them without the success of the Batavians against Spain (29-21). Two defeats which symbolize the limits of an interesting and attractive formation in attack, like its star Marketa Jerabkova, who is averaging 7.7 goals per match in this World Cup in her left-back position. Which quite simply makes her the best scorer in the competition. A left side all the more efficient as Charlotte Cholevova is in 5th place with 35 goals – she who has nevertheless been very discreet with Brest since the start of the season -, as is Parisian winger Veronika Mala (also 35 goals) .
A particularly formidable trio, but which is the tree hiding the forest of a particularly unbalanced game, with a back base where the right side struggles to exist. As a result, the danger, clearly identified for the Blues, should be at the heart of Olivier Krumbholz’s concerns, and the defense put in place will aim to stifle these “leftist” tendencies on the part of the Czechs. And if Pauletta Foppa and others show the same involvement and the same defensive impact as that seen against the Norwegians, there is no doubt that Jerabkova and her little comrades will have a (very) hard life. Especially since physically, unlike the French who have the luxury of being able to play 14 perfectly operational field players in the international concert, the Czechs had to pull on certain strings which could begin to be particularly worn out when approaching this quarterfinal.
Unless, obviously, the prospect of having already succeeded in their competition, and therefore of evolving with a completely free mind, enhances a Czech team whose defense does not seem to be its strong point. Particularly at the goalkeeper position where Petra Kudlackova alternates between brilliant and very mediocre. In terms of experience, too, the balance will tip strongly in favor of France, reigning Olympic champion and vice-world champion. And to be certain that the Blues do not think they are in the semi-finals too soon, as Estelle Nze Minko recalled in the preamble, they will also have in mind the defeat suffered at the hands of the Czechs a year and a half ago in Plzen (31- 30) during the qualifiers for the Euro. A meeting without stakes for France, but which could certainly serve as a booster shot before this quarter-final. After dominating Norway at home and racking up six victories, it would be too frustrating to see this superb run suddenly come to an end. Even more so seven months before the Olympic Games in Paris. What coach Olivier Krumbholz recalled in his own way: “We wanted to finish first, obviously, but we have a lot of respect for the Czech Republic. We have confirmation of our potential and we can even say that we are setting a date, for the quarters perhaps, for the semis too, but above all for later.
