Tuesday, 19. January 2010
Wiener Neustadt: Surprise: France vs. Hungary 29:29
About 3500 handball fans had gathered in Wiener Neustadt Tuesday evening to watch the favourites from France play the Hungarian team. Hungary won on the tribune, and shockingly almost also the match. It ended in a surprising tie, 29:29.
The favourites to win the European Championship, France, almost stumbled in Arena Nova against the underdogs from Hungary. After the two teams had followed each other the whole first exciting half, they went to the locker rooms with the score 16:16. The second half was just as amusing. Especially for all the Hungarian fans who gave the match an incredible atmosphere. Hungary showed their best handball, and five minuets before the end they were leading with four goals, 25:29. The Frenchmen did what they had to do, played man-to-man, and with great luck. They stressed the Hungarian team and scored some important goals, fighting back to 29:29 in the dramatic and very tight game.
Claude Onesta French coach: “It was a very difficult match, and the result is a miracle for us. I congratulate the Hungarian team with a very high performance. They deserved to win tonight.”
Daouda Karaboue player France: The Hungarian team played very well. We have to be happy with this one point. It is much better then zero.”
Istavan Csoknyai coach Hungary: “Like Onesta said we also felt that we could have gotten more then one point from this game. It is hard to learn how to win a tight game like this, but hopefully we can gain knowledge from today’s match for the future.”
Nenad Puljezevic player Hungary: “We made a very good result, getting one point against France. But I am a bit disappointed since we were leading with four foals with five minutes to play. They are great champions and they did a good job getting one point in the end. Tomorrow we play another strong opponent, Spain, and hopefully we will win then."
