LNH Round 7:Nantes finally on the right track, the favourites as expected

October 30, 2013

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Thursday, largely dominant Montpellier has struck a blow in Chambery in the clasico. The final score (40-30).

Chambery Montpellier 40-30 (20-11)

With the great input of Montpellier’s snarling defense and reassured by Arnaud Siffert, who was great at his goal (14 saves), Chambéry has quickly lost ground in this clasico (5-0 at the 5 ‘and 7 -2 in 10 ‘) with no real hope of winning the point. Too rough in attack taking shots too fast, Mario Cavalli’s men were also taken into counter-attacks with folds not always controlled. So, it is the home team that profited, Slovenians Dragan Gajic (12 goals) and Jure Dolenec (9 goals), to climb the goal difference (17-9 at 27 ‘). At the break, despite some bursts, the suitcase was already full for the Savoyards (20-11). In the second act, even if the match was much unbridled, ex-champion of France Montpellier managed their lead. Marko Panic (8 goals) conducting the game of his team in a second half was more befitting to their status but the damage was already done, it was not used much. In Montpellier all lights are green!

Arnaud Siffert (Montpellier keeper):

Tonight we had a very big start, our defense was really good and in place. And it allowed me to make many saves! We managed to reproduce the kind of starts that we had made against Sélestat and it’s really the right thing against a team like Chambery. In the second half, it became more aggressive and it was a little more effective, but we still managed to maintain our large lead to win. We really had to make an impression. It is a really good mathematical and psychological operation, now all the lights are green. I had already played at the Park & Suites Arena and it was something to be so public, but now with the shirt of Montpellier on the back, it was really hard.

On Friday night most of the games of LNH round 7 were played. PSG were guests to Saint-Raphael, the super team from Paris with easy win stays on the top of the scoreboard of French national league.

Saint-Raphael Paris 31-36 (12- 18)

It was the flagship game on Friday night and it kept all its promises as on the floor of motivated and very uneasy home team, Parisians have not had a perfect night throughout the competition but they finally came out as victors, sturdy. The leaders marked (0-3 in 4 ‘and 5-10 at 15’), Philippe Gardent’s players finished ahead at the break thanks to a rather well established defense (12-18 at 30 ‘) and above all a great finish of its top players Mikkel Hansen (10 goals) and Fahrudin Melic (7 goals). But in the second half, the advance, melted due to prolific Raphael Caucheteux (8 goals) and a more organized game of Saint-Raphaël (15-19 in 35 ‘and 20-23 at the 41′ and 25 -25 at 50’). The tie was a wake up call for PSG Handball, they upped the game and made 5-0 that was enough for new steady lead and routine finish (25-30 at 55 ‘). The end was just a formality, despite a determined Morten Olsen (7 goals). Paris remains unbeaten and at the top of the LNH.

Nantes Tremblay 34-25 (16-12)

Surprised twice in championship, against Nimes and Dunkerque, Nantes lost ground on the top of the table and had to win to forge ahead and slowly climb back up. In particular, finding the collective strength and focus to finish the match in their advantage with a still fragile Tremblay, this game was rather well played by the men of Anti Thierry. Hooked in the first 20 minutes (11-10), the Ligériens were then gradually released through a good defense and played ball quickly to turn heads at the break (16-12). In the second half, the face of the game remained the same: the versatile back Alberto Entrerrios continued his recital (7 goals), as fellow Valero Rivera (7 goals, in the photo below). The Parisians were not able to come back and chained with a new game without a win.

Valero Rivera (left winger Nantes):

We needed to make a game like that, all together, after our two defeats in the league in recent weeks. We were much more present collectively, finding good solutions to the particular ball play. It is a success that is good for the head and classification before we all go on our national teams.

Toulouse Sélestat 31-22 (11-12)

40 big minutes and then nothing. Or almost. This is what happened on Friday evening on the floor of Alsace Toulouse. Thus in the first half, the game was rather tight, even for the benefit of visitors (3-3 at 4 ‘and 7-10 in 23’ and 11-12 at 30 ‘). But in the second half of the game, Fenix has gradually swept away everything in its path. The new goalkeeper, Wesley Pardin (17 saves) pull down the curtain while Nemanja Ilic (7 goals) and Jerome Fernandez (6 goals) fueled the attack. And if the SAHB held (16-16 to 41’), it felt like it was only on a wire. The solutions in attack were exhausting gradually Pawel Podsiadło seemed increasingly alone (8 goals). Then the hard work of undermining paid off for Fenix who flew to the safe goal difference (21-16 in the 47th and 29-21 at 58 ‘). The home team pocketed another victory at home and settled at a nice 4th place.

Nimes Dunkerque 23-25 (12-11)

Affected by the fact that they fail to win in the Champions League and the energy it took for this competition, Dunkirk every week could be off the road in the league. And their opponents know this and took the opportunity to push them into making mistakes. Almost every time, Patrick Cazal’s players have managed to get out of where they were cornered. And once again, they have demonstrated that they had turned a corner on the floor of Nimes. Without being brilliant they were clearly pushed throughout the meeting (12-11 at the break and 17-16 at 42′), they found the resources in the key moments (17-20 at 49 ‘ and 23-24 at 59), to extract the 2 points. Pierre Soudrys (6 goals) has once again been decisive on the offensive side, as Benjamin Afgour (5 goals). On the goal line, the pair Gerard / Annotel (19 saves) will also take the best of its counterpart, Idrissi pointing to 17 saves. Dunkirk is the second spot on French league ranking while Nimes peak in 9th place.

Patrick Cazal (coach Dunkerque): We are very happy to have won this game against Nimes and stay in 2nd place just before the international break because it is really difficult for us to move from one competition to another. It is a loss of confidence and clarity on the Champions League with the feeling of not being in and it is not simple then return to focus on the league. There is little or no time to prepare for the games and we lack rotations. We must deal. We are therefore pleased to have taken these points and I appreciate is the courage shown by my players to get back in this game because we were behind. It happens to limit the damage.

The results of the seventh round of the French national league:

24/10/2013 8:45 p.m.

MONTPELLIER