World Champs 2009 - France win world title

Eurosport - Sun, 01 Feb 20:00:00 2009

France beat hosts Croatia 24-19 in Zagreb to add the World Championship to their Olympic title.

HANDBALL France Croatia 2009 - 0

It's the third world title for France, following victories in 1995 and 2001.

Croatia, cheered by some 15,000 fans in the Zagreb Arena, ended the first half with a 12-11 lead.

The second half continued in the same way until the 53rd minute when the match turned following a Nikola Karabatic hit for a 20-18 lead for the French.

Croatia were unable to find a way back while French goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer stood firm.

They went scoreless for 10 minutes while the French, notably through their best player Michael Guigou who was on target ten times, gradually increased their lead.

"I was hoping that we would play against Croatia so that we could get revenge for the defeat we suffered against them in the group. That match did not show the strengths of our squad," said French player Jerome Fernandez.

Croatia had enjoyed a 22-19 against France in Group One last Tuesday.

"Croatia had the advantage of home ground, but today we won the title thanks to our excellent defence," added Fernandez.

Poland defeated Denmark 31-23 to win the bronze medal.

AFP

Comment 13 - 32 of 32

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  1. I thought you got a yellow card for handball? Oh no­ wait, silly me, I was confusing this nonsence with a­ proper sport!

    From Neil M, on Thu 24 Sep 5:16AM

  2. forget all you haters talking about small country who­ cares if its small thats why such a small country has­ one of the best athletes in europe thank you very much

    From stylezplaya2004, on Tue 24 Mar 3:31AM

  3. I am not surprice that France won the world cup, i said­ they are going to become Champs and they did.The likes­ of Nikola Karabatic & Daniel Nacisse can beat any­ HandBall team in the World,the German's where­ futunate @ the last world championship with there­ outstanding Goalie and the likes of Michael­ Kraus,Glandoff & Karr man.Congratulations the World­ Champs.

    From Mike, on Mon 16 Feb 12:13PM

  4. croatia? a great country?­ ahahahah....please....aahahahah..... without the big­ money of the tourists people would starve there!

    From BA777, on Sun 8 Feb 12:32PM

  5. hey British and netherlands history hm little bit more­ not good than good!

    From kubeibut, on Wed 4 Feb 4:29PM

  6. About the history of those three countries, yes there­ are some parts somebody can be proud.
    Pal, it's­ like history of every country all around the world,­ there are some good parts and some bad parts, some­ parts to be proud, some parts to be ashamed.
    Falklands­ Islands, I don't care I'm not British either­ Argentinian.
    Greater ? If you want kid, if you want.

    From Frédéric, on Tue 3 Feb 11:53AM

  7. and by the way our history is much greater than yours, ­ if we take into account the geographical area where we­ are and the size of our country!
    my friend
    read­ something!

    From kubeibut, on Tue 3 Feb 9:27AM

  8. Falkland Islands?
    are you proud about that island?

    From kubeibut, on Tue 3 Feb 9:22AM

  9. are you proud ot the history of that three countries?

    From kubeibut, on Tue 3 Feb 9:17AM

  10. CROATIA ABOVE ALL
    Greetings to france

    From kubeibut, on Tue 3 Feb 9:15AM

  11. Open a dictionnary and you'll see there is a huge­ difference.

    Was not a normal defeat. I guess you want­ to blame the danish referees. Bad loser. As players,­ they're not perfect, that's all. And don't­ start with a contest "which team was more punished­ than the other", that's all­ childishness.

    Croatian history. Well i hope you are­ proud of your history, well in fact not all your­ history, or it would problematic. And yes, i know­ history of those three countries so what's your­ point ?

    From Frédéric, on Mon 2 Feb 10:18PM

  12. learn a little about the Croatian history!
    you will­ find a thousand times to be proud!

    From kubeibut, on Mon 2 Feb 9:57PM

  13. if you watched the match you know that it was not a­ normal defeat, is it your response to the dirty­ colonial history of your country "tiny­ land"?
    what you have a plan for colonial our­ "tiny land"?

    From kubeibut, on Mon 2 Feb 9:52PM

  14. ...and by the way, it's only sport. If you're­ so proud then enlist and fight in afganistan or some­ other places.

    From jonoariba, on Mon 2 Feb 8:00PM

  15. Oh Really? then tell me a single reason to be proud of­ being a croatian? I don't see any... Proof is that­ you desperatly needed a victory of your handball­ national team to be proud of your tiny land...
    Then at­ least stay humble in the defeat, just like the winners­ remained humble in the victory!

    From jonoariba, on Mon 2 Feb 7:56PM

  16. people without Nationalism in them, do not feel is­ their nation loses or wins!
    this is my and only my­ thinking!

    From kubeibut, on Mon 2 Feb 7:56PM

  17. yes and which of nation's are cultural
    whether it­ is perhaps Britain, France, italy, are you're­ familiar with the history of these three countries?

    From kubeibut, on Mon 2 Feb 7:31PM

  18. yea and who tell you that
    puh buh
    read again your post­ and think again!

    From kubeibut, on Mon 2 Feb 7:27PM

  19. hey pal, nationalism and nation are different­ stuff.
    Nation is a cultural and/or a social­ community
    Nationalisme is an ideology focusing on a­ nation.

    From Frédéric, on Mon 2 Feb 5:50PM

  20. hey without nationalism there would be only one­ nation! idiot

    From kubeibut, on Mon 2 Feb 4:36PM
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