The Press — We First Note that Reaching the Second Round is an Exploit Considering the Current Structure of Our Handball
Reaching the second round is a remarkable achievement, considering the current state of our handball. Winning a match, 27-25 against Austria, in this final phase is a guarantee of success for this team. However, whether we like it or not, it's not a surprise. Tunisia is a handball country, but unfortunately, the creation or suppression of a team (especially a women's team) remains at the discretion of those who run the association. The example of the great Stade Nabeulien, which used to intimidate the best handball teams of the time and was forced to create a football section that took over everything, is still vivid. It took a long time for the team to recover. Regarding the performance of our brave women's handball team that participated in the World Cup in the Netherlands, it is so far honorable. The Tunisian team had prepared well for the World Championship. They played several friendly matches, including two against South Korea in Tunisia. Previously, they had hosted the French B team and played two matches against them. The team also participated in a tournament in Macedonia, playing three matches against Macedonia, Greece, and Egypt. They also conducted several local training sessions supervised by French coach Pablo Moral. Seizing the Opportunity Despite participating in ten previous women's world championships, they had never managed to advance beyond the first round and had never qualified for the second round. This tournament offered the opportunity to reach the second round, with three teams from each group able to qualify for the main tournament. They seized it. However, despite this remarkable surge, the difference was evident between true professionals and valuable elements trying to put their best foot forward. The Dutch had rotated their lineup, but the Tunisian reactions were remarkable for their safety. The ball was moving well, the defense had become more solid, and the players were more confident and reacted well. The score does not exactly reflect the physiognomy of this match. Our representatives were facing title contenders. In fact, the Tunisian team only really got into the game in the second half against the Dutch team. Then, they believed in their chances against the Austrians. The Tunisians applied themselves at the end of the match to preserve their lead by intelligently retaining the ball. They managed to provoke faults in the Austrian defense to gain time and win the match. Nevertheless, it's a team to watch, with enormous room for improvement. With better physical conditioning and a more sustained rhythm, they will be able to hold their own against the best teams. They will be more confident against Argentina today (15:30). Our girls seem capable of upsetting the Angolans for the continental title. But... they will need a serious program, of good level and especially consistent enough to toughen and prepare the team.
