DIRECT. France-Hungary: the Blues are back on track and lead at half-time for their entry into the Paris 2024 Olympics

Kanor, Foppa et Flippes sont prêtes à débuter leur tournoi olympique. MAXPPP – Beate Oma Dahle

At the Arena Paris Sud 6, Olivier Krumbholz's French women's handball team begins its competition against Hungary this Thursday, July 25 at 7 p.m.

Keep your title

Reigning Olympic champion and world champion, the French women's handball team begins the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as the team to beat. The pressure will be even greater as this time, the competition takes place at home.

In France's group (group A), 6 nations are battling to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games. Spain, the Netherlands, Angola and Brazil complete this group, the first four of which will see the rest of the competition.

Olivier Krumbholz will still be at the helm of the French team, the one who made women's handball shine (3 world titles, 1 European and 1 Olympic) during his two mandates (1998-2013; 2016-2024) will bow out after the Games. A man of strong choices, he did without Zaadi and Darleux in particular for these Olympics.

A match to follow live with commentary here:

7:34 p.m.

Half-time: France 15 – 12 Hungary

After a pressurized start to the match with numerous ball losses, the Blues recovered and shifted gears to take the lead in this first act against the Hungarians.

7:34 p.m.

29e

Nze Minko intercepts the ball and leaves alone beat the Hungarian goalkeeper (15-12). On the last Hungarian shot, Glauser intervenes before half-time.

19h33.

28e

Loss of ball on both sides, France finally puts its game in attack and allows Granier to finish on the right wing (14-12).

7:31 p.m.

27e

Time out requested by Krumbholz before the end of this premiere period. Foppa loses the ball in attack and the counter is well led by Hungary which comes within a goal (13-12).

7:30 p.m.

26e

On the left wing at the end of the refusal to play, the left winger finds an impossible angle to deceive Glauser (13-11).

19h29.

25e

Losing speed in attack, Hungary manages to close the gap a little (13-10). Flippes loses the ball in attack on a forced passage.

19h28.

24e

New Hungarian loss of the ball, on a bad pass this time. France adds an additional goal while the Hungarian goalkeeper is replaced. (13-9)

19h26.

23e

New aggressive defense from the Blues which allows them to recover a new ball. Nze Minko finishes the job on the following attack (12-9).

19h25.

22e

Lukacs is still found on his right wing and in a small perimeter finds space to deceive Glauser (10-9). Horacek concluded the Blue attack with a beautiful cross shot from 10m (11-9). Note that after 22 minutes, the Hungarian goalkeeper still has not made a save.

19h25.

21e

Just after taking a blow to the face, Nocandy sets the record straight and finds the target to give France +2 (10-8 ).

7:23 p.m.

20e

The losses of balls continue, the Blues provoke them among the Hungarians while in attack they are not on their passes.

7:21 p.m.

19e

With this comeback from Les Bleues, Hungary is the first team to take a timeout. The Blue defense once again puts the Hungarians in difficulty but on the next attack, Grandveau makes a strong pass.

7:20 p.m.

18th

Nocandy is found and takes her chance but her shot goes over. New recovery in defense of the Bleues and Kanor concludes the counter-attack with a new goal (9-8).

7:19 p.m.

17th

Granveau finds the opposite corner to put France back on level terms (8-8) after a recovery in defense. Hungary begins to stutter in attack, the center-half's supporting shot flees the target.

19h18.

16e

Nocandy unleashes a shot from afar that deceives the Hungarian goalkeeper. (6-7). The Hungarians find the opening again on the following action and Glauser can do nothing against the shot at 6m (6-8).

19h17.

15e

Another easy loss of the ball on the part of the Blues in attack, fortunately the following Hungarian shot goes over Glauser's bar.

19h16.

14e

Nocandy defends in an advanced position, but Kuczora finds the opening at 9m. (5-7).

19h15.

13e

New attack placed for the Blues who at the end of the refusal of play finds Foppa in pivot who reduces the score (5-6).

19h14.

12th

Klujber's hip shot is well stopped by Glauser who is getting back into the game. The next attack ball is again wasted by the Blues on a bad pass. (4-6)

19h13.

11e

First save for Glauser who blocks Lukacs' shot from the wing with his hip.

19h12.

10e

Market whistled against Fuzi-Tovizi who does not put the ball down and is given a two-minute penalty, the Blues have the opportunity to get back into the game. The Blues switched to a staggered defense on this numerical superiority.

7:11 p.m.

9e

Foppa is found at the pivot position and scores the 3rd French goal (3-6).

7:10 p.m.

8e

Lukacs is found on the right wing and his shot Glauser horn.

7:09 p.m.

7e

The blue defense checks the Hungarian attack until play is refused but the restart is intercepted again.

7:07 p.m.

6e

Kuczora is found at the end of the Hungarian attack and his supporting shot deceives Glauser who has not yet made a save. Horacek responds with a supporting shot also to revive the Blues (2-5)

19h06.

5e

Bouktit is sought at the pivot position but the pass is blocked by the good Hungarian defense.

7:05 p.m.

4e

New confusion in the French attack and the ball recovered by Hungary. Foppa is penalized two minutes for belting. Vamos scores another goal (1-4).

7:04 p.m.

3e

Missed shot by the Bleues and on the following attack, the Hungarians take off through Vamos (1-3).

7:03 p.m.

2nd

The Hungarian shot ends above Glauser's bar but the French attack is well read by the Hungarian defense.

7:02 p.m.

1e

The first French attack is missed and Hungary opens the scoring with a quick attack. Horacek responds with a nice feint on the next one.

6:55 p.m.

H – 5'

The victorious team of this first match of the tournament will join Brazil and the Netherlands, winners of their first matches (29-18 and 34-31 respectively) against Spain and Angola.

18h54.

0e

Les Bleues who will play in white start the match.

6:50 p.m.

H – 10'

From the Olympic title 3 years ago, only six players remain: Flippes, Foppa, Lassource, Nocandy, Nze Minko and Valentini. Zaadi and Darleux were also there but are “only” substitutes in Paris.

18h45.

H – 15'

Olivier Krumbholz, magician at the head of the women's team, had to make difficult choices to develop his list of players for these Olympics. Zaadi, Darleux and Ondono paid the price and are replacements for the tournament.

6:30 p.m.

H – 30'

Hungary is a strong team from the European continent, it won the European Championship in 2000, the silver medal at the Sydney Olympics the same year . Her latest feats of arms were at the 2012 European Championship where she won bronze.

6:15 p.m.

H – 45'

The evening's opponent, Hungary, is an opponent that Les Bleues have often faced and the matches have always been close. This is evidenced by the one during the last Olympics where the French women only won by one goal (30-29). It's a team that the captain of the Blues, Estelle Nze Minko knows well since she plays in the main club of the country: Györ.

18h02.

H – 60'

The French team had a rather successful preparation for this Olympic tournament. After a heavy opening defeat against Norway (22-34), the Blues made up for it two days later against the same opponent (25-19) before concluding the preparatory phase with a large success over Angola (33-20). ), opponent of the French women in these Olympics.