Both Handball Teams Face Defending Champions France at the Olympics

Both the Hungarian men’s and women’s handball teams were drawn with hosts and defending champions France for the group stage of the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Head coach Chema Rodríguez’s men’s team will face Egypt on July 27, Argentina on July 29, Norway on July 31, three-time World Championship gold medalists Denmark on August 2 and defending champions and hosts France on August 4. The top four from each group will progress to the last eight.

The quarter-finals will take place in Lille on August 7, the semi-finals on August 9 and the bronze medal match and final on August 11.

Photo via Facebook/Magyar kézilabda-válogatott

The women’s group matches will start before the opening ceremony on July 25 against the defending champions France. On July 28, the team will face Brazil, on July 30 England, on August 1 Spain and on August 3 the Hungarian women’s team will meet the Netherlands in the French capital. The quarter-finals will take place in Lille on August 6, the semi-finals on August 8 and the bronze match and final on August 10.

Photo via MTI/Czeglédi Zsolt

The squad will include 14 plus three players. The three reserves can train with the team but cannot live with the others in the Olympic village. Anyone who leaves the squad by substitution will not be allowed to return. The deadline for submitting the 17 names is midnight on July 8. A seven-man crew can be named to the frame.

Tickets for the six matches per day will be available in three blocks from 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Hungary’s men’s team is making its ninth Olympic appearance, with its best results coming in fourth place in 1936, 1980, 1988, 2004 and 2012. The women’s team will be participating for the eighth time, with their best result being a silver medal in 2000.

The Olympic handball tournament group classification:
Men:
Group A:
Japan, Sweden, Germany, Croatia, Spain, Slovenia
Group B:
Hungary, Argentina, Egypt, Norway, Denmark, France

Women:
Group A:
Republic of Korea, Denmark, Slovenia, Germany, Norway, Sweden
Group B:
Hungary, Angola, Brazil, Spain, Netherlands, France

The Hungarian teams’ matches in the group stage:
Men:
Saturday July 27: Hungary-Egypt
Monday July 29: Hungary-Argentina
Wednesday July 31: Hungary-Norway
Friday August 2: Hungary-Denmark
Sunday August 4: Hungary-France

Women:
Thursday July 25: Hungary-France
Sunday July 28: Hungary-Brazil
Tuesday July 30: Hungary-Angola
Thursday August 1: Hungary-Spain
Saturday August 3: Hungary-Netherlands

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Via MTI; Featured image via Facebook/Olympics

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