Paris conclude a great week

Match reports

After qualifying for the Final4 of the EHF Champions League against Kiel (32-29) in midweek, Paris Saint-Germain Handball returned to the Liqui Moly StarLigue action on Sunday afternoon. In Round 27 action, they played host to Chartres at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin. While the visitors' objective was to get away from the drop zone, the Parisians had the mission of regaining top spot, temporarily stolen by Montpellier. 

Les Rouge et Bleu were very diligent at the beginning of the match and logically led the proceedings (3': 3-1). But Chartres are a die-hard outfit and it took several magnificent saves from Jannick Green to prevent them from taking the lead (8': 5-5). Our last defender racked up the saves and allowed his team to take the lead (12': 8-5). The storm passed, and the capital club were well on top (16': 11-7). 

The Parisian rearguard was once again very efficient. They recovered several balls that were transformed a few moments later into goals, thanks to Luc Steins (17': 12-7) and Mathieu Grébille (18': 13-7). Raul Gonzalez's men also shone in the offensive sector and the lead grew (22': 18-10). Among the main gunners of our team, Petar Nenadic was unfazed in front of goal (26': 21-13). At the break, after a last goal by Kamil Syprzak, Paris led by nine points.

The resumption was also successful and Les Rouge et Bleu went to +10 (33': 26-16). But this decimal advantage does not put them definitively in the clear. Chartres managed to raise the tone in all sectors and duly clawed back a little of their deficit (37': 27-20). Our players began to experience some difficulties in find ing the net, but remained solid in front of goal, with Elohim Prandi notably averting a goal Shen the ball was set to roll into an empty goal (42':28-21). At the beginning of the last quarter of an hour, the capital club was still largely in the lead (46': 31-23).

The Parisians were back to +10 when David Balaguer scored from his right wing (51': 34-24), and as the minutes passed, victory seemed more and more certain (56': 36-27). Paris Saint-Germain Handball stayed in front until the final buzzer and duly claimed victory. Despite some slower moments, this victory was a perfectly controlled affair and it allowed Les Rouge et Bleu to take back top spot. Next appointment: away to Saint-Raphaël next Saturday! 

REACTIONS FROM RAUL GONZALEZ, ADAMA KEITA AND SADOU NTANZI:

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)