2023-09-11 20:06:12
A week after being surprised by Romania (1-3), during the first round in Tel Aviv (Israel), France did not miss the opportunity to take revenge and qualify for the semi-finals of the European Championship, this Monday evening in Varna (Bulgaria): 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-14, 27-25) for the Olympic champions who will face Thursday in Rome (9 p.m., live on the channel l’Équipe), the winner of Italy – Netherlands, opposed this Tuesday evening in Bari (Italy).
Facing completely uninhibited Romanians, who had not reached the continental quarter-finals since 1985, the Blues had to be patient before managing to reverse the trend in the first set. At the start of the match, almost everything was successful for Rata, Bartha, Aciobanitei and Bala. And then the service was a little less forward, enough to allow Nicolas Le Goff to slam an equalizing ball (18-18), in the center, well served by Antoine Brizard, always so inspired with the pass. A French disagreement followed by an attack at Post 4 of Aciobanitei allowed the Romanians to regain some distance (18-20). Tied (20-20), the French then saw Timothée Carle, timid until then, finally let go, notably with a decisive serve (22-20). Central Barthélémy Chinenyeze converted the second set point for France (25-22).
Foot on the floor in the second set
Finally released, the Blues started the second set at full throttle (6-0; 11-3), with Jean Patry and Yacine Louati still fired up and the central sector solid, like Barthélémy Chinenyeze. Coming into play during a service stint, as in the initial set, Earvin Ngapeth was not successful. Nothing to disturb the French mechanics, especially since Jenia Grebennikov was, once again, impeccable in her position as libero. So much so that the Olympic champions unwound to turn 2-0 from the second set point on a service fault from Robert Calin (25-14).
But as is often the case when a team leads two sets to nothing, Andrea Giani’s men relaxed a little and those of Sergiu Stancu took advantage thanks to a series of lead serves from Bela Bartha (0-5). It couldn’t last the whole set and it didn’t. Antoine Brizard therefore, once again, chose to go through the center, notably with Nicolas Le Goff (6-8) to put his people in the right direction. But the Romanians found a quality of service and Alexandru Rata the effectiveness of his left arm in attack (11-15), while the Blues did not manage to maintain regularity in service. After the timeout (13-17), Andrea Giani sent Kévin Tillie to restore some order in the house: well played, first ball, first winning attack at post 4 (14-18). But this devil Robert Aciobanitei once again tortured the French block (15-20), which Marian Bala also enjoyed perforating on small diagonals in particular.
“We always find it difficult to play this kind of match when we are favorites. You have to find the balance between lucidity and concentration. The Romanians had a great tournament, we had to remain patient”
Antoine Brizard, the French smuggler
But the entry of Trévor Clévenot, although suffering on this Euro (shoulder), gave the French some breathing space. Just like that of Kévin Tillie, who dismissed the fourth Romanian set point (25-25). And then Antoine Brizard sent an ace to offer the French a first match point and another lead serve to provoke an out attack from Aciobanitei: 27-25 and a 3-0 success for the Olympic champions.
“In the first set, the Romanians served very well, they managed to make the break, we had to hang on,” commented Antoine Brizard, on the L’Équipe channel, “In the third set, we had to bury them immediately , we let them come back,” continued the French passer, “we always have difficulty playing this kind of match when we are favorites. You have to find the balance between lucidity and concentration. The Romanians had a great tournament, we had to remain patient. »
In the semi-finals, the Olympic champions may not be favorites, especially if Italy, the reigning European champion, beats the Netherlands this Tuesday. “Italy in Italy would be incredible. It’s this kind of match that we love. I hope we will play Italy, it’s the meeting we’ve been waiting for from the start,” concluded Brizard. The last semi-final of the Blues at the Euro dates back to 2019, in Paris, with a defeat against Serbia (2-3). She finished ninth in 2021.
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