Stellar performance not rewarded

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On Thursday evening, Paris Saint-Germain Handball started a run of four away games (which includes Montpellier, Kielce and Aix) with their EHF Champions League Matchday 5 clash against reigning European champions Barcelona. With five points, they had the opportunity to overtake their opponents (who had six) and come within one point of leaders Kielce, who had won 24 hours earlier against Porto (39-33). While the task was not easy in an arena where the home side rarely lose, Parisian right-winger Ferran Sala Solé believed in his team's chances against his compatriots.

Even between two teams who know each other by heart, there was no escaping a feeling out period. Neither goalkeeper was caught out in the first four minutes, and when the nets finally did shake, Nedim Remili was the man responsible (4': 0-1). His goal got the match going (8': 4-2), but it wasn't an avalanche of goals that followed. Raul Gonzalez's men continued to struggle against a solid home rearguard, but the Catalan attacking line were no luckier. They struggled to get past Vincent Gérard and missed the target on several occasions, leaving the gap at two goals (13': 5-3).

Les Rouge et Bleu were uncompromising in defence. Luc Steins took advantage of this to reduce Barcelona's lead on a counter-attack (14': 5-4), before Dainis Kristopans put the count back to zero (15': 5-5). Offensively, the Parisians started to hit their straps! They repeatedly provoked fouls from Barcelona and Mikkel Hansen was more than happy to indulge his penchant for scoring from the penalty line (18': 7-8). The match was still as tight as ever, but it was Paris with their noses in front (26': 10-11).

Just before the break, the two goalkeepers, Vincent and Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, had a spectacular duel, each keeping his side in the match with some stunning saves that had the game still full of suspense as the half-time buzzer sounded.

After the break, it was more of the same and the two goalkeepers duked it out once again (35': 14-14). Barcelona's attacking problems led them to opt for a seven-man attack, a move that promised to bear fruit (39': 17-15) until Vincent made another string of saves to allow Les Rouge et Bleu to hit back (43': 17-17) and then to take the lead again with a double from Elohim Prandi (44': 17-18). At the beginning of the last quarter of an hour, neither the Blaugrana nor our players could seem to make the difference (45': 18-18). The end of the match was looking unbearably tense!

Barcelona appeared to have taken the upper hand (48': 23-20), but Paris quickly got their heads above water (52': 24-23). The match would be decided in the final ten minutes! Unfortunately this final period was better negotiated by the Catalans (57': 28-25) and, despite a very good performance, Paris Saint-Germain Handball once again tasted defeat at the Palau Blaugrana. They will look to get back to winning ways on Sunday when they play Montpellier in Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 7.

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)