Paris obliged to get a result in Germany

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At the Stade Pierre de Coubertin on Wednesday night, Paris Saint-Germain Handball hosted Kiel in the first leg of their EHF Champions League quarter-final tie. Les Rouge et Bleu had the mission of staking a claim in the first leg before travelling to Germany for the return leg on May 19.

To have a hope of reaching the Final4 in Cologne, Paris Saint-Germain had to get a good result at home against the four-time winners of the competition. To do so, Luka Karabatic and co. had an electric Stade Pierre de Coubertin spurring them on.

The beginning of the game was very tense between the two teams, as many expected. The players were all business and the contact was intense. The capital club fell behind (7': 1-5) but, little by little, they got back into the game, thanks notably to a number of penalties. Nedim Remili scored the second 7-metre throw for Paris' third (9': 3-6) as Coubertin stared to pile the pressure on the Zebras. Running out of time, Kiel rushed their shot and Vincent Gérard saved smartly, setting up a goal into a net left empty by Kiel's high line (12': 5-8).

The Kiel players seemed to start doubting themselves. They couldn't quite force the Parisian lock open, and as a result Luc Steins was able to hit quickly on the counter (15': 7-9). Nedim, after some good pivot work from Kamil, scored from the penalty line to get Paris back to within a goal of their visitors (19': 9-10). Inside the 9m line, it moves, the fault of Kamil. On the wing, Benoît scored his first goal and the two teams were on level terms for the first time since the opening buzzer (20': 11-11). The Parisians and the Kielers fought for every ball and the two-minute send-offs piled up, but Paris managed to stay within striking distance of the Germans, notably thanks to the great form of Luc Steins (29': 14-15).

Our players struggled as the second half began and the Parisians fell behind once again, although they quickly reduced the arrears to just three goals through Mathieu Grébille (36': 16-19). Realising that Luc Steins was tearing them apart, the Germans looked to block him by playing a 5-1, but to little avail (39': 18-20). Paris had made up their deficit as the final 15 minutes rolled around, thanks in no small part to a red-hot Nedim Remili and his seven goals (44': 21-21).

Les Rouge et Bleu did not let the Germans breakaway. Nedim and Luc, the two top scorers for Paris, bring them back to earth (50' 24-24). The tension in the Stade Pierre de Coubertin was intense, but neither side would yield as the second ticked down. Helped by a Vincent Gérard on fire and Kamil's skill from the penalty line, the Parisians levelled it up (57': 29-29). As the buzzer sounded, the Parisian defence stymied a final Kiel effort to clinch the draw (30-30). Now Paris have to do it all again - and get a result - in the return leg in Germany!

(Credits: A. Gadoffre/Team Pics/PSG)