The 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship bid farewell to the DNB Arena in Stavanger as the 12th and final match in the preliminary group stages ended with a win for France.

The Olympic champions ensured they took maximum points to Trondheim for the main round, defeating Slovenia by four to top the group.

Group D
France vs Slovenia 31:27 (17:15)

Both teams had already qualified through to the main round with a maximum of four points from their two games so far, but it was France who will take maximum points into the next round over 500km north of Stavanger, when they move to Trondheim for Main Round Group II.

Slovenia will take two points with them, thanks to their win against Angola earlier on in the competition, but they will be buoyed by the return of their captain Ana Gros, who made her 2023 championship debut after nursing a hamstring injury for the first two games.

Her coach, Dragan Adzic was careful how he used his influential player and utilised his squad in preparation of their tests coming up against Norway, Austria and Republic of Korea. Tjasa Stanko impressed again with her seven goals and three assists.

His opposite number Olivier Krumbholz will be happier after this, having seen more from his team than what they had shown in their opening games against Angola and Iceland.

With his side dominating Slovenia with their sharp pace and counter-attacks, a five-goal (28:23) lead with 10 minutes remaining, saw the game over – the French had converted nine of their 12 fast-breaks by this point and their opponents just one in one.

Despite Krumbholz losing key player Laura Flippes to injury ahead of the game – she was replaced by Océane Sercien-Ugolin – and starting with centre back Lena Grandveau at right back, Krumbholz’s side showed their class while not playing at their full potential.

Unlike the weather in northern Norway, France are warming up nicely and will be relishing the opportunity to get the next stage up and running on Wednesday.

hummel Player of the Match: Tjasa Stanko (Slovenia)