Emotions got the free run, after håndboldkvinderne had got the shovel under the French the world champions.

Relief. Just an absolutely huge relief.

Håndboldkvinderne does not hide the fact that they had felt a lot of pressure before the crucial WORLD cup group stage match against France. But after the Danish 20-18 victory is failure averted, and the team lives on in the tournament.

- If we had lost this battle and having to play the President's Cup. For satan, it had been uphill. I get almost tears in the eyes of to think of it, says Anne Mette Hansen.

She's got an absolutely central role in the fast-paced and exciting conclusion, when she near vienna a penalties in slutsekunderne, when Denmark led 19-18.

Stine Jørgensen was set to throw, and not all of the Danish team showed the same coolness as the captain.

- Since Stine had to take it on, I began to just cry. I couldn't hold the emotions back, says as the winger Trine Østergaard.

- All on the bench said I had to focus, but I just couldn't more. It would have been terrible if she had burned, and France had run up and had scored.

- I'm so insanely happy and relieved and at the same time, proud of the here team, says Østergaard.

In the Danish dressing room was after the game thrown and screamed, so it could be heard far out in the betongangene around the hall in Kumamoto.

Also Mie Højlund had a hard time to rein in the emotions in the minutes after the team's great feat.

- Since it went up for me, that victory was at home, and I started really just to cry. It means so much to this team, and this is the biggest redemption ever, that we won this battle, says derk-jan.

With the victory, Denmark is ready to mellemrunden and take a point on. The opponents in the future matches are Norway, the Netherlands and Serbia.

/ritzau/