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2022 starts well

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After a month-and-a-half-long break due to the European Championship, Paris Saint-Germain Handball returned to competition on Saturday night, on the occasion of Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 15's visit of Dunkerque. They had the opportunity to consolidate their league leadership and win their 14th game in as many outings (their Round 13 match, in Saran, was postponed). Despite sitting in 13th place before throw-off, not to mention their having weakest attack in the league (339 goals scored), USDK were not opponents to take lightly. Even more so given that they had the most solid defense in France (355 goals conceded).

But before throw-off, there was still time for some festivities as we rewarded several of our players who shone during the Euro in January. Luc Steins and Mikkel Hansen were voted best centre-half and best left-back of the tournament respectively. Collectively, Mikky also won bronze with Denmark along with Henrik Toft Hansen, while Ferran Solé Sala (Spain) took home silver.

Les Rouge et Bleu started their game very well. Well led by Luc Steins, who was simply unstoppable, be it in passing or finishing, they took a promising lead (6': 6-2). The six weeks break has seemingly no effect and the rhythm imposed by our players was very high (9': 8-4). In addition to widening the gap as the minutes passed, the Parisians also earned points for style, Luc and Ferran both beating the 'keeper with chabalas (14': 11-6). At the end of the first quarter of the game, our team were in total control (16': 13-7).

Defensively too, the capital club were on point! Thanks to this solidity, they recover several possessions that were quickly converted into goals (21': 16-9). Even when our rear-guard were caught out, Dunkerque still had to breach the wall named Yann Genty. Our last bastion filled the gaps to help his team further widen the gap (24': 19-10). In spite of the northerners' mini-rebellion just before the break (27': 19-13), Paris were still ahead at the end of the first half.

At the end of the second half, Les Rouge et Bleus re-took a seven-point lead (33': 22-15). Our young left-winger Léo Plantin took advantage of this newfound efficiency to score his first goal with the professionals (35': 24-16). Paris Saint-Germain Handball academy graduates Sadou Ntanzi and Benoît Kounkoud then combined to allow Dainis Kristopans to shake the net (42': 27-19). Irresistible since the beginning of the second half, our players saw their advantage climb to +10 after a goal from Kamil Syprzak (46': 29-19).

At the beginning of the last ten minutes, the fate of the game looked sealed, especially after another chabala, this time very well executed by Benoît, found the net (51': 33-23). In the final minutes, the Parisian emphasis on youth development was perfectly represented, with four academy graduates present on the court (Sadou, Benoît, Léo and Valentin Bzdynga). They all play a good game and Léo bagged a double (three goals in total) in the final moments (58': 37-28). Paris Saint-Germain Handball thus won and claimed a fourteenth-straight league victory to continue their perfect season!

RAUL GONZALEZ AND SADOU NTANZI'S REACTIONS:

(Credits: A. Gadoffre/TeamPics/PSG)