Danish Handball Team Upsets France in World Cup Qualifier

Danish Handball Team Stuns France in World Cup QualifierDanish Handball Team Stuns France in World Cup Qualifier In a thrilling upset, the Danish handball team defeated the reigning Olympic and World champions, France, in a crucial World Cup qualifier on Saturday. The match, held in the packed Royal Arena in Denmark, saw the Danes triumph 32-30 in a nail-biting contest. From the outset, Denmark played with a determination and intensity that caught the French off guard. Mikkel Hansen, the Danish star player, orchestrated the offense with precision, while Niklas Landin made numerous spectacular saves in goal. France, led by the legendary Nikola Karabatic, struggled to find their rhythm early on. The Danish defense suffocated their attack, forcing turnovers and preventing them from getting into a dangerous rhythm. As the first half progressed, Denmark extended their lead to five goals, but France rallied with a late surge to close the gap to 17-13 at halftime. In the second half, the intensity only increased. Both teams traded goals, but Denmark refused to relinquish their advantage. Hansen continued to dominate the offense, scoring crucial goals in key moments. With just two minutes remaining, France had narrowed the deficit to just one goal. However, Denmark held their nerve and scored the decisive goal through Mathias Gidsel. The final whistle sent the Danish crowd into raptures, while the French were left stunned. The victory was a significant achievement for Denmark, who will now face Slovenia in the World Cup playoffs. It also marked a significant changing of the guard in international handball, as France had not lost a competitive match in over two years. “This was an incredible victory for us,” said Danish coach Nikolaj Jacobsen. “We played with great heart and determination. We knew France was a great team, but we believed in ourselves and it paid off.” France coach Guillaume Gille was gracious in defeat. “Denmark played a very good match today,” he said. “They deserved the win. We have to analyze what went wrong and come back stronger.”