Since the start of the Olympic tournament, the French handball team has still not managed to win a single match. The reigning Olympic champions lost their first two matches quite clearly against Denmark (37-29) and Norway (27-22), then struggled to draw against the Egyptians (26-26). These results have not helped the French team advance in the rankings. A victory against Argentina, at 11am at the Arena Paris Sud, is imperative if they want to stay in the tournament.
Dealing with a wave of injury. The match against Egypt was costly. If the Blues did not manage to win it, they especially lost two players to injuries. Yanis Lenne, victim of a serious ankle sprain, and Dylan Nahi, injured in the thigh, are unavailable for the match. The two wingers were replaced by the half-center Aymeric Minne and the pivot Nicolas Tournat.
Argentina, the weakest nation in the group. Historically, Argentina is an opponent that has been successful for Les Bleus. In 16 confrontations, including three at the Olympic Games, the French team remains undefeated. Like Les Bleus, the South Americans have not yet managed to win a single match since the start of the tournament. The Argentine selection should be without Diego Simonet, a major asset of their selection. The Montpellier player, who knows France well, has a groin injury.
Reposition yourself for qualification. If the top spots are now unattainable, Guillaume Gille’s players are now simply aiming for qualification. Currently fifth out of six in Group B, they are aiming for a victory that would allow them to stay in touch with or overtake Hungary and Egypt. To qualify, France must finish in the top four of its group. The last qualifying spot would, however, give them a complicated quarter-final against the leader of Group A.