Paris 2024 | Brilliant start propels France to long-awaited win; Argentina eliminated

Only in the fourth match in the competition, France finally earned their maiden win, 28:21, defeating Argentina by seven goals. With three points, the home side climbed to the fourth place in Group B, and even a draw against Hungary on Sunday will secure their progression to the quarter-final, while Argentina are eliminated. 

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES – PRELIMINARY ROUND
GROUP В
Argentina vs France 21:28 (8:15)

The hosts were under big pressure prior to this must-win game, and they had to play without right wing Yanis Lenne and left wing Dylan Nahi, who came off with injuries in the previous match against Egypt. However, France looked very determined and enjoyed the best possible start, as a string of saves by Vincent Gerard helped them to open up a 7:0 lead.

Argentina, which also needed a win to stay in the race for a quarter-final berth, finally scored 11 minutes into the game, as Federico Fernandez had their first goal, It seemed to give the South American side some moral boost, and they improved their attack. However, France also continued to regularly find the net, leading 12:6 with seven minutes to go in the opening half.

Hugo Descat scored from both the 7m shots and open play, having a tally of five goals at half-time, while Gerard made as many as 12 saves during the same period, boasting a brilliant 60% saving efficiency. Argentina were limited to just eight goals in the opening half, and a seven-goal advantage allowed France and their devoted fans to feel confident. 

After the restart, Gerard was replaced by Remi Desbonnet, and France continued to push forward, taking a 20:12 lead in the 40th minute. However, then the hosts slowed down, and their South American rivals capitalized on their mistakes, as a 5:0 run helped them to slash the gap to 18:21. James Parker, who did not shine in the first half, improved his shooting efficiency and finished the game with seven goals, one fewer than France's Descat. 

Between the 41st and 49th minutes, France failed to score a single goal, as they had a few turnovers, so their victory was suddenly in danger. But Guillaume Gille's team held their nerve, and they again were a dominant force on the court in the last 10 minutes, ultimately winning by seven goals, 28:21.

Argentina scored only 21 goals in this match, which was obviously not enough for saving at least a point. After the fourth consecutive defeat, the South Americans lost the chance to reach the quarter-finals, and now they will only play for consolation in their last game versus Egypt.