Paris win top-of-the-table clash with Montpellier

Match reports

Paris Saint-Germain Handball beat MHB in their Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 11 clash on Sunday evening and thus opened up a three-point lead at the top of the league table. Here's a look back at the match.

On Sunday, the capital club returned to Coubertin for a top-of-the-table clash with Montpellier. Still unbeaten in the league this season, the Parisians had the opportunity to take a three-point lead over their opponents and nearest rivals, who were held to a 35-35 home defeat by Saint-Raphaël last week. Raul Gonzalez's men were well aware of what was at stake in a match that could end up proving decisive in their quest for an eleventh French league title.

Les Rouge et Bleu got off to a perfect start, with Andreas Palicka saving three times, including two penalty throws (4': 3-1). Despite Luka Karabatic's red card, the Parisians refused to give up and Andreas pulled off another save to maintain the lead (8': 4-2). With the capital club dominating the first quarter of an hour, Raul Gonzalez decided to call his first time-out (13': 7-4). The move paid off, as Les Rouge et Bleu continued to push forward, smashing four unanswered goals past Montpellier, who couldn't find a way past Palicka, who had already made four saves (16': 9-4).

As Paris took the lead in the first half, Montpellier in turn decided to take a time-out, with the aim of making up some of their deficit before the break (20': 11-6). However, Elohim & co. had other ideas, and went on the attack to extend their lead (22': 13-6). As the break approached, Raul Gonzalez's men took advantage of a numerical superiority to widen the gap (26': 16-9). Les Rouge et Bleu returned to the dressing room with a six-point lead thanks to a last-gasp save from the unstoppable Palicka (30': 17-11).

After a tough first half, Montpellier were far from giving up and got their match back on track by scoring four times in a row (35': 17-15). Raul Gonzalez wasted no time in calling a time-out to remobilise his men. Serious and diligent, the capital club quickly regained control of the match with the third four-goal blitz of the match (40': 22-17). As the game entered the final quarter of an hour, Kent Robin Tonnesen scored his sixth of the match to maintain the Parisians' comfortable lead (46': 25-21).

However, Montpellier refused to give up and came back to within two points of the Parisians, setting up an exciting end to the match (52': 25-23). In a breathless final few minutes, Andreas rounded off a sparkling performance with a 13th save to give Les Rouge et Bleu a decisive lead (56': 28-25). At the end of a well-controlled game, Raul Gonzalez's men clinched a victory that gave them a three-point lead at the top of the league (60': 31-27) - which could prove decisive in the title race. Next week, Paris travel to Toulouse for Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 12. Before that, the capital club face a tricky trip to Kiel on Thursday evening, as part of EHF Champions League Matchday 9.

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