France-Denmark in the final of the Handball World Cup appears on TF1
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP
The French handball team before their semi-final match against Sweden at the World Handball Championship, January 27, 2023.
SPORT – More than a step to climb for the French men’s handball team, but it will be the highest. After a bumpy course, the Blues will face Denmark in the World Cup final in Stockholm this Sunday, January 29.
As with the semi-final against Sweden, the match will be telecast on TF1 from 20:50 (kick-off time: 21:00) and beIN SPORTS without encryption. Friday’s prime-time France-Sweden match was watched by 3.21 million viewers on Channel One, a 16% audience share.
This final is a new episode in the series of tensions between France and Denmark. Blindfolded Mikkel Hansen’s team, beaten by France in the finals of the 2011 World Cup and then Euro 2014, took revenge by denying Nikola Karabatic a third Olympic title. In 2016 in Rio. A year and a half ago before giving back his coin in Japan.
Up until this final, the Blues had a real obstacle course at this World Cup, with clashes against Spain, Germany and Sweden.
They crescendoed to a near-perfect score against the Swedes at the Tele 2 Arena (20,000) on Friday, who cut their path to the semi-finals of WC 2021 and then Euro 2022.
Seven packs ahead of the World Cup
“From the start of the competition, we had the impression of progress, of playing better and better” Vincent Gerard notes. This is despite numerous injuries to the goalkeeper and teammates along the way.
Having suffered seven withdrawals (Pardin, Minne, Villeminot, Kounkoud, Konan, Nguessan, Descat) before the start of the competition, Gille has not been able to rely on his full manpower since his start on January 11 in Katowice, Poland.
He enters the final with the position of left-back suffering, the only specialist Romain Lagarde, starved of playing time in Blue recently, at 100% of his capacity.
Will Thibaud Briet (right hand), Elohim Prandi (right wrist) and Nikola Karabatic (left foot) make at least a partial recovery at the age of 38 in their tenth and final World Cup?
Gille knew nothing about it on Saturday and praised it “a strong ability to adapt to various events thrown into the corner of the figure” of the team.
The last world champion title from 2017
Which, from the deep reservoir of French handball, managed to win eight games in as many games. Still to be sought, according to Gille. “Combine this fixed idea, this ambition” is displayed from the beginning.
According to Nedim Remili, the first world champion title since 2017 will also come. “Confirm once again that this group, in addition to the individual abilities they have shown at the club, have that collective power to reach the top and stay there.”.
The Danes sat at the top of the world table and are looking to stay there after 2019 and 2021 to achieve an unprecedented treble – France and Romania have won twice each and Sweden have won two consecutive world titles.
They can always count on their goalkeepers, two-time World Player of the Year Niklas Landin and three-time winner of the award, Nikola Karabatic (2011, 2015 and 2018).
At 35, the former PSG player is now used more as a leader, flanked by left-handed Matias Gidsel and right-handed Simon Pytlick, who has become one of the world’s best in the position at the back. Top of 22 years.
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