Pontault-Combault
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In the duel at the top of the Proligue, Pontault-Combault won against Cherbourg (26-25) and alone takes the lead of the championship. Nancy confirms that he is doing better with his success over Massy, while Dijon lost heavily in Nice. In the Alsatian derby, Strasbourg crushed Sélestat.
While the match of Saran, affected by Covid-19, against Sarrebourg had to be postponed, the opposition between the other two leaders of Proligue, Pontault-Combault and Cherbourg, was eagerly awaited. On the one hand, it would allow us to see if Cherbourg had recovered from his exit from the road last week at home against Dijon (32-39). On the other hand, Pontault-Combault, who had lost in the first leg (26-25), had to show his ambitions against his direct opponent for the Proligue accession ticket allocated to the first of the regular season. After a balanced start to the meeting where Dmytro Gunko, the former Cherbourg resident who became Pontellois a few weeks ago, responds to John Nkonda (the two men scored seven of the first eight goals of the match, 4-4, 10 ‘), Pontault takes gradually the ascendant thanks to a good defense and stops by Alejandro Romero. Well served on fast play, Adrien Chaudanson gave the PCHB three goals (8-5, 14 ‘). Cherbourg finds himself badly embarked.
Dmytro Gunko had things to prove
Alejandro Romero (Pontault-Combault)
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However, in the last ten minutes of the first period, the JSC patiently caught up. Her defense is stronger, and, well supported in case of need by Dan Tepper, she conceded only two goals between the 20e and the 30e minute. If it remains difficult in attack, the Mauves are only one goal at the break (11-10, 30 ‘). The match remains tight after the locker room, the two best defenses in the championship are up to their status. Returning to the field, Dmytro Gunko nevertheless found the fault in the defense of his former partners and allowed his team to create the gap again (16-13, 39 ‘). Cherbourg tightened the bolts behind, and regained his defensive efficiency which allowed him to come back (18-18, 44 ‘). Everything is therefore played in the last moments of the game. And here again, Pontault manages to pull out of the game. Following a new stop by Alejandro Romero (12 in total), Alex Moran concludes well and gives his team three goals (25-22, 57 ‘) .
Jean-Pierre Dupoux (Pontault-Combault)
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Cherbourg did not say his last word, came back to one goal as the PCHB finished the game in a shorthand. But on his last action, Pontault manages to score. And it is again Dmytro Gunko who is at the conclusion. The Ukrainian appeared to have things to show his former club, which he left quickly after knowing he would not be extended. Author of eight goals, he was decisive in this meeting that the Ile-de-France residents won with a gap goal (26-25). Despite the solid offensive performance of John Nkonda (9 goals), Cherbourg lost a second match in a row and now leaves Pontault-Combault to take sole control of the championship. Positive points all the same: the JSC has regained defensive solidity, and, in the event of a tie with the PCHB in the standings at the end of the season, the particular goal difference will be to its advantage. Seen as this championship is tight, this particular goal-average could be useful to the Normans …
Nancy confirms, Dijon disappoints
Louis Prévost (Grand Nancy Métropole HB)
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After a delicate beginning of February, Nancy finds colors. The people of Nancy received Massy, sixth and direct competitor for a place in the play-offs. After a complicated start to the match (3-6, 11 ‘), the GNMHB gets back together (8-8, 16’), before stalling again at the end of the first period (14-14, 24 ‘; 15-18, 30 ‘). Massy even took a five-goal lead after returning from the locker room (16-21, 33 ‘) thanks to Jules Portet, very efficient in shooting with a nice 7/7 on the match. But after a 7 meters managed by Edson Imare, top scorer of the match (9 goals, including 3 pen.), Massy has a big air gap. Nancy signed a 5-0, Louis Prévost being the author of the equalizing goal after a stop in front of Edson Imare (19-24, 39 ‘; 24-24, 46’). The end of the game is tight, Nancy has the advantage of a goal at the entrance to the money-time and while Genèse Bouity equalizes more than a minute from the end, the medical joker Elvar Asgeirsson sends a ball. cannon in the Massiois goal about twenty seconds from the end. The Icelandic, who arrived this week in Lorraine, scored six goals and was extremely valuable for his people. On the last action of the match, Antoine Conta fell on a decisive Louis Prévost who offered the victory to Nancy (31-30). The Nancéiens sign an important success at the accounting level – they approach the podium and widen the gap on their pursuers – but also and especially at the mental level. The gloomy period that saw them chain five straight losses seems to be over; to be confirmed, however, on Tuesday, against Angers.
Pierrick Naudin (Dijon). Photo credit: Panoramic
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Conversely, Dijon, who delivered an impeccable performance last week in Cherbourg, fell back into his failings this Friday at Nice. After a balanced first half (13-12, 30 ‘), the Cavigal took the upper hand in the second act, while Dijon’s attack, so efficient in Cherbourg, completely grinded down. The Burgundians only score five goals in 24 minutes, including two only in the last quarter of an hour. Still in contact at the start of the second period (18-16, 36 ‘), the DMH is gradually left behind (23-18, 44’), and too often stumbles on Gretar Gudjonnson, author of a big game (14 saves) . A little less than ten minutes from the end, the game is folded, Alexis Bon giving the Aiglons eight goals (27-19, 52 ‘). The right-back, top scorer of the game (8 goals), is the last scorer of the meeting largely won by the Azuréens (30-21). With this success, the Cavigal returns to a point behind his opponent in the evening, and thus gets involved seriously in the fight for the play-offs.
Sélestat corrected in the derby by Strasbourg
Christophe Viennet (Sélestat Alsace HB)
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Last of the championship at the end of December, the players and staff of Strasbourg claimed that this place was not theirs, and that they would recover in the second part of the season. Of which act: the first three matches of 2021 ended in a victory for the Eurometropolis club. But what would it be in the face of Selestat in the Alsatian derby, while Strasbourg has never beaten its neighbor since its rise to the professional level in 2018? The answer was not long in coming. From the start of the meeting, the club from the Alsatian capital gained the upper hand in the room of its rival, thanks to a more precise attacking game and success at 7 meters (3-6, 12 ‘). Romain Mathias rises quickly enough in the cages of the SEHB, while Sélestat is inferior in all areas of the game. So when Téo Egermann, the most solid defender of the SAHB, is definitively excluded for a big fault on Clément Damiani (22 ‘), Sélestat loses the thread even more. Leading five goals at the break (9-14, 30 ‘), Strasbourg knocked out its opponent after returning from the locker room (9-18, 36’), and then kept his mattress in advance until the end of the match . With in particular 17 saves from Romain Mathias and ten goals (including 7/7 in pen.) From Xavier Moreau, Strasbourg is widely needed (24-36) and ends with the way his losing streak against Sélestat. The men of Christophe Viennet will have to quickly recover to erase the affront.
Victorious, Besançon and Angers reshuffle the cards for maintenance
Dragan Zovko (Besancon)
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The Proligue is a championship full of surprises, without certainties. At the end of last week, three teams seemed to be slowly falling behind the others in the race to maintain: Besançon, Sarrebourg and Angers. If the Sarrebourgeois did not play this weekend, the other two want to make lie those who send them to fight among themselves to ensure their maintenance. Besancon, first of all, did not miss his duel against Valence, who had a four-point lead before this meeting. Following a well-managed numerical superiority, the GBDH quickly took a three-goal lead (6-3, 11 ‘) and, thanks to a solid first period from Milos Mocevic, took off (11-5, 23’). Valence comes back to two goals, but Besançon takes off again after the locker room (17-11, 32 ‘). Dragan Zovko’s men master the second period, and still have five goals ahead with five minutes remaining (28-23, 55 ‘). Valence reduced the gap at the end of the game, but logically fell in Franche-Comté (30-28).
Jérémy Vergely (Billère). Photo credit: Panoramic / K.Domas
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Angers seemed to be in an even more worrying situation, with five points taken since the start of the season. AT Billere, the SCO has nevertheless shown that it has resources. The locals dominate the start of the match (9-5, 17 ‘), but the promoted Angevin gradually returns to the score and the two teams are tied at half-time (13-13, 30’). Billère thwarted at the start of the second period and, following several lost balls and shots off target, took four goals in a row (16-21, 43 ‘). In a favorable position, the SCO must then keep the score, which is not necessarily its strong point since the start of the season. This time, although Billère came back several times to two goals, Guillaume Dupin’s men kept their cool. Steeven Corneil took advantage of the empty goal to give the Angevins a four-goal lead just over five minutes from the end (22-26, 54 ‘), and while Billère still came back to two goals, the Angevin defense held on. Diego Moreno scores in the last minute and secures victory for the SCO (24-27), who thus won his first two points outside of the season, after losing in his first seven trips. Billère, already held in check by Angers on the first leg, misses an opportunity to take an important step towards maintaining.
The standings and the matches to come (with the catching up of the seventh day on Tuesday) can be found in the Results tab.
Mickaël Georgeault
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