Handball: Russia sends France into the knockout stages of the World Cup

France is officially qualified for the knockout round of the 2017 men's handball without playing thanks to the victory of Russia against Poland (24-20), Monday in Nantes.

Two days before the end of the preliminary round, the Blues have six points and can not be joined

either by Poland (0) or Japan (0) who have lost their first three matches in Group A. The first four teams - On six - go to the next round.

The Poles were not to win to allow France to qualify as of Monday. By losing, they even lost hope of going further in the competition, who had finished third in the previous edition in Qatar in 2015 and in fourth place in the Rio Games.

But Poland arrived in France without its full capacity due to injuries but also the retirement of goalkeeper Slawomir Szmal and rear Karol Bielecki and Krzysztof Lijewski.

Only right-winger Michal Dazsek was among the holders at the last Olympics.

The team led by Talant Dujshebaev made an illusion at the start of the match (2-0) before the Russians definitely took the lead as they approached the quarter-hour mark. Their lead thanks to Kovalev (7 goals) and Atman (5 goals)

They will meet the French on Tuesday (20:45). The challenge for France will be to win to make sure to finish first in the group, before even playing his last group match against Poland on Thursday (17.45).

To finish first would allow the defending world champions to benefit from a more clear course towards the semi-finals.

This would allow them to face the fourth in Group B (Iceland, Macedonia or Tunisia?) And certainly to avoid Slovenia in the round of 16.

For the quarter-finals, it would be the third in Group C or the second in Pool D, thus potentially Hungary, Belarus or Sweden.

With a second place, the Blues could on the other hand recross the road of Denmark, which dispossessed them of their Olympic title in the final in Rio in August, in the quarterfinals.

By AFP