A winning start to the Champions League

Comptes-rendus

Paris Saint-Germain Handball beat Macedonian side Pelister 31-29 on Wednesday. Here's a look back at the action from this EHF Champions League Matchday 1 clash.

The EHF Champions League is back! The aim was clear for Raul Gonzalez's men: to emulate their performances in the Coupe de France Round of 32 and the opening day of the Liqui Moly StarLigue season by getting the better of Pelister. Having already featured in Les Rouge et Bleus' group last season, there was no doubt that the Nord-Macédoniens would be returning to Paris with more experience and a vengeful spirit after their first Champions League campaign ended in fourteen defeats. All these ingredients promised a great encounter as the most prestigious of competitions returned to Coubertin.

The game got off to a particularly tight start, with both sides lacking in goalscoring ability and unable to break the deadlock (6': 2-2). As the minutes ticked by, the Parisians began to make inroads in all areas of the game, and while Andreas Palicka was winning his duels, Elohim was making the most of his power to put the capital club ahead (11': 5-4). Named best left-back in the Champions League last season, Elo‘ continued in the same vein, turning provider for Mathieu Grébille as Paris extended their lead in the first quarter of an hour (14’: 7-4).

Kamil Syprzak, top scorer in the previous edition, had lost none of his directness in front of goal and already had five goals to his name (19': 11-7). Pelister were in trouble and decided to stop play to try and get back on level terms. A few minutes after Yahia Omar, it was Dani Baijens‘ turn to open his Champions League goalscoring account for Les Rouge et Bleu (23’: 13-10). Executing their counter-attacks to perfection, Raul Gonzalez's men took off at the end of the first half (28': 17-12). After a solid first half, Paris went into the locker room with a five-point lead (30': 18-13).

The start of the second half was marked by two brilliant strikes from Yahia Omar, who widened Les Rouge et Bleus' lead and forced the Macedonians into another time-out (36': 23-16). With their backs against the wall, the visitors did not give up, however, and managed to make up some of their deficit as the match entered the final quarter of an hour (45': 25-20). Les Rouge et Bleu held on to their lead on the scoreboard, but Raul Gonzalez decided to call a halt to the game to re-mobilise his men as the final minutes ticked down (49': 26-22).

With Pelister putting the pressure on Paris in the dying moments, Kamil scored another brace to take his tally to 11 goals (56': 29-26). Mathieu Grébille then restored his side's three-point lead with a splendid spin shot (58': 30-27). At the end of a breathless final few minutes, the capital club - spurred on by an electric Stade Pierre de Coubertin - secured their win over Pelister (60': 31-29). The Parisians thus got their European campaign off to an ideal start, ahead of a perilous trip to Veszprém next week.

(Credits: L. Valroff/E. Renard/Team Pics/PSG)