Handball: PSG win snatch in Nantes (33-32) and save the end of the year

Timely victory. By winning (33-32) in Nantes this Wednesday, the French champions avoided a bit of a meltdown before unwrapping their gifts at the foot of the tree. After losing at home in the Champions League against Magdeburg and then in Montpellier in the league, a third defeat in a row (the last such bad streak dates back to five and a half years) would really push them back to 3rd place in the league.

Once again becoming solidarity with Montpellier (beaten on Tuesday in Toulouse), they owe their salvation to the final save of Andreas Palicki from the penalty spot. The Paris Internationals will now be able to prepare for the upcoming World Cup (January 11-29). The rest will certainly not sit idly by until the competition resumes on February 12 against Dunkirk.

What should you remember

Arriving at the Neodif XXL hall filled to the brim with nearly 10,000 spectators, Raúl González’s players were able to immediately appreciate the enormity of the challenge awaiting them. Since the start of the season, PSG have been battling Montpellier, a resurgent 2000s force, and Nantes, their biggest enemy, who have been using their strong European record since September to shine in the league.

Deprived of Polish center Kamil Sypshak, his top scorer (85 league wins and 71 in LdC) with a fibula against Magdeburg, Adama Keita and Dominik Mathe, the Paris coach also had to make do without Luc Steins in the afternoon. According to the club, the Dutch playmaker was indeed declared absent for “personal reasons”. Under Nikola Karabatic, PSG had to rely on their other markers, Elohim Prandi and Dainis Kristopans, for a head-to-head duel between the top two attacks in the league.

Nantes pulled away very quickly (4-1, 5th). PSG have the opportunity to win back, but Balaguer does not convert a penalty against his former club (9-8, 17th). Usually little used, Sadu Ntanzi keeps his people connected, like a young Gauthier Loredon, 20, boarding from a training center for an event (12-12, 24th). At the same time, David Balaguer gives PSG an advantage for the first time. The executioner of “Nantes” last year in the first match Mathieu Grebiy contributes. By the break ahead of PSG (16-17).

In particular, the author of Valero Rivera’s exceptional double save from the penalty spot in the first period, Andreas Palicka, suffered from an onslaught of Nantes players who again started at full speed (20-18, 37th). The defense, which however is in the top four in the Star League, takes the water and goals are tied on both sides in this duel of the Titans (25-25, 45th). The last quarter of an hour is breathtaking, with PSG taking the lead by two goals and then catching up (30-30, 54th). The capital players have the ball, and Raul Gonzalez announces a time-out twenty seconds after the siren. Prandi scores and Rivera misses his last chance. PSG saved their end of the year.

Player: Andreas Palicka

The choice of the Spanish mentor PSG turned out to be the right one. Having saved Valero Rivera’s last penalty at the buzzer signal, the Swedish goalkeeper, European champion with his country at the beginning of the year, ended ugly for the people of Nantes. The latter tried everything for an hour, but the 35-year-old former player Rein Neckar-Löfven decided to save his family. With 13 saves, his second-best record in the league behind Istres (15), he confirms his rise to power and Paris owes him a great deal.

Quantity: 4

Or the number of goals (out of 4) scored by a young Gauthier Loredon. This solid guy (2 m, 103 kg) is now in the training center, which did not prevent him from playing several matches in the league and the Champions League. He was present at the right moment and allowed the capital club not to drown.

Other matches: Creteil derby

In other matches of the day, look out for Creteil’s big win in the Val-de-Marne derby against Ivry (33-23). Les Christolien (13th) is again ahead of Ivry (14th) at the bottom of the standings.

Results of the 15th day of Starlige. Tuesday: Toulouse – Montpellier 31-30. Wednesday: Nimes – Limoges 34-29; Chambéry – Cesson – Rennes 24 – 24; Saint Raphael – Ex 31 – 34; Dunkirk – Istres 30 – 30; Nantes-Paris SG 32-33; Creteil-Ivry 33-23; Selestat – Chartres 29 – 35.

Rating: 1. Montpellier 26 points, 2. Paris SG 26, 3. Nantes 24, 4. Chambery 19, 5. Nimes 18, 6. Aix 17, 7. Toulouse 17, 8. Season-Rennes 15, 9. Dunkirk 14 , 10. Limoges 14, 11. Saint-Raphael 12, 12. Chartres 11, 13. Créteil 9, 14. Ivry 8, 15. Istres 6, 16. Celeste 2.