The French women’s handball team, reworked and a little messy, continued its flawless performance at the World Cup with a fifth victory, Friday against South Korea (32-22) in Trondheim (Norway), but did not still his ticket for the quarter-finals.
Les Bleues, at the head of Group II of the main round (8 pts), will however qualify if Slovenia (4 pts) does not beat Norway (6 pts) in the evening (8:30 p.m.), whom they will then face for their last group stage match on Sunday.
After having produced their best match of the competition on Wednesday against Austria (41-27), they delivered a more hesitant performance against the South Koreans, whom they had largely beaten in a preparation match, on November 26 in Caen ( 36-19).
The first five minutes, marked by three lost balls and a rushed and missed shot from Tamara Horacek, set the tone for a match where the Blues lost a string of balls (18.9 per period) and were less effective in the all-terrain game, perhaps hampered by the Korean defense.
Trailing 3-0, they nevertheless took control by inflicting a 6-0 (6-3, 10th) to never let go, thanks in particular to the saves in the first period from Laura Glauser (7/19), much more effective than the Korean pair (first save in the 33rd minute). The long-range left arm of Orlane Kanor was also valuable in breaking away (three goals in a row, 14-9 in the 25th minute) in a match where coach Olivier Krumbholz had chosen to spare the pivot Pauletta Foppa, leader of defense, and goalkeeper Hatadou Sako.
Laura Flippes, recovered from her thigh injury, returned to the field after two matches of absence and was selfless at right-back (one goal and three assists). The third goalkeeper Camille Sinceet (5/15) and Oriane Ondono (4/5) played their first minutes in the competition and were in sight.
The third pivot probably played more than Krumbholz expected, after the definitive exclusion of Sarah Bouktit (40th) and in the absence of Foppa.
