France overpower Poland in second half to claim first place

France closed the group phase in dominant fashion, pulling away after a tight first half to defeat Poland 42:28 and carry all four points into the main round.

Group F
France vs Poland 42:28 (18:17)

It was a battle for first place and for the four points to be carried into the main round. While reigning champions France held the favourites’ status before the game, they did not fully show it in the opening 30 minutes. Poland opened strong, taking a 4:2 lead in the fifth minute and forcing France into mistakes, something unusual for the title holders.

France weathered their early problems and, with the help of Pauletta Foppa, levelled the score at 5:5. Poland kept pushing, forcing one-on-one duels and looking for breakthroughs, as their nine-metre shooting lacked efficiency. That style of play opened plenty of space for right wing Magda Balsam, who lifted Poland to a three-goal lead (10:7) as the half reached its midpoint.

Sébastien Gardillou did not allow things to slip too far out of control. After a time-out, France reshaped their defence, tightening the centre and forcing Poland into turnovers—more in a few minutes than in the first 20. One of those mistakes turned directly into a fast break, with Tamara Horacek setting up Suzanne Wajoka for France’s first lead of the match.

The reigning champions, however, never stretched it beyond two goals (17:15 and 18:16), and Poland managed to pull it back to one in the final moments of the half. Adrianna Płaczek ensured the gap did not stretch any further with several crucial saves.

The start of the second half brought some additional trouble for France, but they held their composure and, after 15 minutes, finally settled into their recognisable rhythm. Poland’s attacking efficiency dropped from 62% to 47%, and the five-goal gap in the 45th minute came as no surprise. It soon stretched even further, with France up by seven entering the final ten minutes.

Poland’s game completely faltered as the final whistle approached. Coach Arne Senstad tried to spark a response with a time-out and a different defensive approach and attempted to calm things down in the attack, but nothing seemed to work. In the 54th minute, Orlane Kanor scored her second to make it a double-digit lead (38:28), and Poland failed to score at all in the last eight minutes. Meanwhile, France hit the 40-goal mark for the third time at Germany/Netherlands 2025.

hummel Player of the Match Léna Grandveau and Pauletta Foppa both scored seven times, while Magda Balsam remained Poland’s top scorer with eight goals.

France move to the main round with a perfect run and four points, while Poland join them with two and Tunisia with none. In Rotterdam, they will face co-hosts the Netherlands, Austria and Argentina.

hummel Player of the Match: Léna Grandveau (France)