Hand/World-2015: Luka Karabatic sends the Blues to the semi-finals against Croatia

Six months after the Olympic fiasco, the French team passed the obstacle of the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Tuesday against Egypt (34-33) in Zagreb, and will find in the last square Croatia thanks to an incredible goal From Luka Karabatic to the Siren.

The pivot and ex-captain drew from the midfielder on engagement, played quickly by goalkeeper Rémi Desbonnet, just after the Egyptian equalization of Yahia Omar five seconds from the end.

The goal, in the cage deserted by the Egyptian goalkeeper that the pharaohs had taken out to take advantage of a numerical superiority over their attack, was validated after video arbitration. And the Blues exulted after this incredible scenario, similar to that experienced in the semi-finals of Euro-2014, with a goal on the Gong of Elohim Prandi offering an extension against Sweden.

“We said, after the games, +sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry +. There we laugh for three tenths of seconds, it falls on our side ”Savored Desbonnet. Karabatic’s shot has indeed completely crossed the 3/10th goal line after the buzzer.

“I looked at the display board, I saw that there were three seconds stayed, I said to myself +you have to go all the way, you have to try +. I managed to have the ball, I fired » said Karabatic, taking advantage of these “Unique moments”.

“It is a crazy scenario, this time with a pretty + happy end + which is a superb illustration of the selflessness of this group, the strength of its collective, symbolized by + loulou + (Karabatic), which accompanies the group in a different role but is still at the service of the team ” For his part, underlined the coach Guillaume Gille.

The memory of 2009

The Blues trembled but they will find the Arena Zagreb on Thursday, which promises to be the volcano that it was during the final of the World-2009 between France and Croatia, won by the Blues (24-19). And for the qualification of Croats at the end of the suspense, already, three hours earlier against Hungary (31-30).

But that it was no longer for the second semi-final, emptied of the three-quarters of its spectators.

At least the Blues were not disoriented after having already traced in front of a meager assistance their route to the quarter, a stadium where she had suddenly stopped this summer at the Olympic Games against Germany (35-34 after extension).

This time they find the last square, systematically reached in the World Cup in the 21st century except in 2013, after a victory drawn by hair when they had never been pushed in their entrenchments since the start of the competition .

Konan exclu

And that their start to the match (4-1, 6th), sitting on an impeccable again defense, augur with a new quiet victory. But the French team has gradually denied.

In the first period first, but especially in the second when, after having led 20 to 15 (33rd), she fell back into her flaws at the Olympic Games, as caught up in her old demons.

The oiled game has given way to borrowed start -ups, for forced fire that allowed Karim Hendawy to shining (4 stops on 18 shots).

The defense did not manage to stop the firepower on the rear base of Egypt, which perfectly used the game at seven against six and returned to a large quarter of an hour from the end (24- 24, 43rd).

The rear guard tricolor was moreover deprived of its Karl Konan leader, excluded for the last ten minutes, spent in apnea. And even more when the pharaohs went up two goals behind to equalize one minute from the end (32-32).

Before Nedim Remili offers a small advantage to around thirty seconds of the siren and this breathtaking final.