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After a week without a match, Paris Saint-Germain Handball were back in the Liqui Moly StarLigue action on Saturday night. Co-leaders (with Nantes and Montpellier) heading into Round 9, they welcomed Pays d'Aix Université Club Handball - a team capable of big things - to the Stade Pierre de Coubertin.
As announced, Aix team in Paris looking to attack (4': 2-4). Their front line posed our rearguard plenty of problems, drawing fouls such that our side was two men down at one point (10': 6-7). The first quarter of the game is over and Les Rouge et Bleu have to chase the score against a great team (16': 8-10).
Once this initial round was over, the capital club reacted. Although they were still not totally on top of things in defence, they had the magical right arm of Elohim Prandi with which to do the damage at the other end of the court (19': 12-13). However, the visitors were definitely not easy to handle and managed to stay out in front (24': 14-17). At the break, our players were two goals behind.
30' : A la pause, Paris court après le score mais peut revenir ! #PSGAIX pic.twitter.com/eddZP0WkB6
— PSG Handball (@psghand) November 12, 2022
After the break, the trend was completely reversed. Raul Gonzalez's men offered fewer opportunities to shoot and took advantage of the situation to first get back on level terms (34': 20-20) and then to take the lead (36': 22-21). From that point on, the Parisians were the ones to lead the dance and quickly saw their advantage increase to +3, after a splendid chabala from David Balaguer (42': 25-22). Our rearguard became close to impassable and Les Rouge et Bleu took off (47': 29-24).
They started the last ten minutes with a promising - but not yet definitive - lead (51': 30-27). Aix pushed to get back on level terms and weren't far from taking advantage of another two-man numerical superiority to do just that. But if you want to score penalties against Paris Saint-Germain Handball, you have to get past Andreas Palicka - and when it's in a roaring Coubertin, you have your work cut out (55': 33-30). On this occasion, Paris Saint-Germain Handball held out for the win, confirming their status as league leaders - a good omen before the Coupe de France, Tuesday night, against Chambéry.
Voir cette publication sur InstagramUne publication partagée par Paris Saint-Germain Handball (@psghandofficiel)
RAUL GONZALEZ, ADAMA KEITA AND DAVID BALAGUER'S REACTIONS:
🎙️ Après la belle bataille entre Paris et Aix #PSGAIX (37-32), découvrez les réactions de Raul #Gonzalez, @Adams_Keita & @Balaguer14 👇 pic.twitter.com/R8F921CQEg
— PSG Handball (@psghand) November 12, 2022
(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)