No, the Blues will not be flying tonight. Contrary to the declarations of the Dane Henrik Mollgaard, the French team revolted in a crazy final and beat Denmark (30-29) in the final meeting of the main round of Euro 2022, Wednesday January 26 . A stunning success that allows the Blues to qualify for the semi-finals of the competition. They will face Sweden on Friday.
After Iceland’s victory against Montenegro earlier in the day (34-24), the challenge was simple for the French team: a victory or a draw was necessary to qualify for the semi-finals of Euro 2022.”A mountain to climb”, according to Nikola Karabatic against the only team still undefeated in this competition which had however left its two stars Mikkel Hansen and Mathias Gidsel to rest.
The Blues took their time to climb this mountain but they reached the top after an absolutely crazy match. An incredible reversal in the MVM Dome in Budapest materialized by the equalizer on a seven-meter throw from Hugo Descat (28-28, 57 ‘) before Dika Mem ignited his teammates by giving his team the advantage in scoring to the first time in the match less than two minutes from the end (30-29).
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THE BLUES ARE IN THE SEMI-FINALS!!!!!
An incredible reversal of the situation to win against Denmark and finish 1st in his group!#DANFRA pic.twitter.com/1PnxhFQJst— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) January 26, 2022
Who could believe in such an outcome when twenty minutes earlier Niklas Landin released two new huge saves to disgust the France team, dropped five goals behind (18-23, 41 ‘)? Because the men of Guillaume Gille, still isolated due to Covid, dragged on for almost the entire remote part of Denmark. And this from the first minutes (0-3, 3 ‘).
The Danes had taken off very quickly (1-5, 5 ‘) in this quarter-final which was just not the name. They relied on the doublet on fire: Nicolas Kirkelokke (10/15 on shots) and Jacob Holm (9/13). On the other side, still deprived of their playmaker Kentin Mahé but also of the pivot Nicola Tournat because of the Covid, France stuttered their offensive game and stumbled on the duo of brilliant goalkeepers that make up Kevin Moller (8 saves out of 21 attempts ) and Niklas Landin (6/23).
The contrast was all the more striking as Vincent Gérard was in great difficulty in his cages. He had to wait until the 44th minute of the match to take out his first save when Wesley Pardin had relieved him for a time in the first period, signing the first save for the Blues just before the break (25 ‘).
Vincent Gérard was however one of the men who allowed this crazy comeback. His only four saves of the match (out of 26 opposing shots) were in the last quarter of an hour, at the perfect time after all. On the other side, the French attacking game was finally loosened in the footsteps of a flamboyant Dika Mem (8 goals out of 14 attempts), also well helped by Hugo Descat, impeccable from the penalty spot (8 goals including 7 seven-meter throws) .
Denmark may regret having let slip a meeting that it still held firmly in its hands ten minutes from the end (27-23). The two teams could find themselves very quickly, perhaps as early as Sunday in the final if Denmark dismisses Spain and the Blues dominate Sweden. It will certainly not be good to replay these Tricolores who have found in this crazy comeback a positive point on which they must now surf.