Olivier Krumbholz (national team selector, winner against Norway, 24-23) : “We are very happy. It was a great match, tense, no team managed to break away. A mano a mano. We managed the end well, we lost very few balls, we defended well. We also managed to stop the bleeding at the beginning on two-three ball advances. The defense gained confidence, we were in the right depth, we disturbed them, without doing anything foolish, without opening up too much space for them and in the end, we even had a slight advantage over their attack, they were a bit stressed. We showed courage, we stood up, they were as brave as possible.”
The central defense players were very good, interchangeable. Tamara (Horacek) had a great defensive match, Orlane (Canor) has extraordinary potential, and the pivots were good in defense, each in their style. We wanted to play a great match, but being at the top of the group is important. It confirms that the French team is progressing well and that it is setting the stage for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and beyond, because we will be even better next summer.”
Estelle Nze Minko (left back of the French team): “To win against Norway, you have to disrupt their attack. They have a sophisticated game that they have mastered for years, and superstar attackers. We had no choice, we had to put pressure on their attack. Tonight, we managed that well. Even when we were -3 at the beginning of the match, with the first five shots missed, I thought the situations were good. I missed two, but it even gave me confidence. By simply taking the ball from the pivot, making an inside dribble, I found myself all alone!”
We always had solutions in attack, there weren’t many moments where we thought, “Damn, what do we do?” We had identified that the central area was tough, they pushed back, it was difficult to find solutions, and that we had to try to play in the 1-2 or with the wingers. That’s the top when you identify strategies and manage to implement them in the match and it works.”
Orlane Kanor (left back of the French team): “It was cool, really cool. Everyone had fun in defense. We went up, we went down, we covered, with perfect timing. We were much more involved in defensive tactics, we made choices validated by Olivier (Krumbholz). Norway is also easier to decipher. It’s structured, we can really take strategies, we were able to adapt.”
We had to play a good match. We had to raise our defensive level. And if we had lost, I think we would have been satisfied with our performance. In attack, I also had a lot of fun, with fairly open shooting situations, it did me good. I hope there is still room for improvement. I am stable physically, calmer, more accurate in my choices, less crazy, I think I am maturing.”
Léna Grandveau (right back of the French team): “We worked a lot on the defensive sector, it was really the objective of the match. We put a lot of depth and I think it was well done. It allowed them to lose balls, which is very rare. They were forced to be patient. We saw it at the end, on the last action. Normally, it’s automatic, but it wasn’t at all, they were searching. I’m proud of the team, it’s a really great performance. We gradually rose, and today, we show that we are present. It’s good to feel the team at its best.”
#Olivier #Krumbholz #après #victoire #des #Bleues #sur #Norvège #sera #encore #meilleur #lété #prochain
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