A timely victory. By winning (33-32) in Nantes this Wednesday, the French champions avoided a small crisis before going to unpack the gifts at the foot of the tree. After the setbacks at home in the Champions League against Magdeburg then in Montpellier in the league, a third consecutive defeat (the last such bad series dates back five and a half years) would indeed have relegated them to 3rd place in the league.
Having again become co-leaders with Montpellier (beaten on Tuesday in Toulouse), they owe their salvation to a final save from Andreas Palicka on a penalty. The Parisian Internationals will now be able to prepare for the upcoming World Cup (January 11 to 29). The others will certainly not sit idly by until the resumption of competition on February 12 against Dunkirk.
What you must remember
Arriving at the Neodif XXL room, filled to the brim with nearly 10,000 spectators, Raul Gonzalez’s players were able to immediately measure the magnitude of the challenge awaiting them. Since the start of the season, PSG has been battling with Montpellier, which has regained its vigor of the 2000s, and Nantes, its best enemy which has been using its good results on the European scene since September to shine in the league.
Deprived of the Polish pivot Kamil Syprzak, his top scorer (85 achievements in the league and 71 in LdC) hit in the fibula against Magdeburg, Adama Keita and Dominik Mathé, the Parisian coach also had to do without in the afternoon of Luke Steins. The Dutch playmaker has indeed been announced absent for “personal reasons” according to the club. With Nikola Karabatic in charge, PSG had to rely on its other markers, Elohim Prandi and Dainis Kristopans, in a direct duel between the two best attacks in the championship.
Very quickly, Nantes broke away (4-1, 5th). Paris has the opportunity to pick up the score but Balaguer misses his penalty against his former club (9-8, 17th). Little used usually, Sadou Ntanzi allows his people to stay in contact, like the young Gautier Loredon, 20, mounted from the training center for the event (12-12, 24th). In the process, David Balaguer gives the advantage to Paris, for the first time. Executioner of Nantes last year on the first leg, Matthieu Grébille is doing his part. At the break, PSG is in front (16-17).
Author in particular of an exceptional double save on a penalty from Valero Rivera in the first period, Andreas Palicka suffered the onslaught of the Nantes players, who started again at full speed (20-18, 37th). The defenses, which are however among the four best in Starligue, take on water and the goals are linked on both sides in this duel of Titans (25-25, 45th). The last quarter of an hour is unbreathable, PSG takes a two-goal lead then is caught up (30-30, 54th). The capital players have the ball and Raul Gonzalez calls a timeout twenty seconds from the siren. Prandi scores and Rivera misses the last chance. PSG saved its end of the year.
Player: Andreas Palicka
The choice of the Spanish coach of PSG was the right one. By stopping the last penalty from Valero Rivera on the buzzer, the Swedish goalkeeper, European champion with his country at the start of the year, finished disgusting the people of Nantes. The latter tried everything for an hour but the 35-year-old former Rhein Neckar-Löwen player had decided to save his family. With 13 saves, his second best performance in the league after Istres (15), he confirms his rise to power and Paris owes him a lot of credit.
The number: 4
Or the number of goals (out of 4) scored by the young Gautier Loredon. This solid guy (2 m, 103 kg) is currently at the training center, which has not prevented him from making a few appearances in the league and in the Champions League. He was present at the right times and allowed the capital club not to sink.
The other matches: the derby for Créteil
In the other matches of the day, note Créteil’s big victory in the Val-de-Marne derby against Ivry (33-23). Les Cristoliens (13th) are back ahead of Ivry (14th) at the bottom of the standings.
The results of the 15th day of Starligue. Tuesday: Toulouse – Montpellier 31 – 30. Wednesday: Nîmes – Limoges 34 – 29; Chambéry – Cesson – Rennes 24 – 24; Saint-Raphaël – Aix 31 – 34; Dunkirk – Istres 30 – 30; Nantes-Paris SG 32-33; Creteil-Ivry 33-23; Selestat – Chartres 29 – 35.
Standings: 1. Montpellier 26 points, 2. Paris SG 26, 3. Nantes 24, 4. Chambéry 19, 5. Nîmes 18, 6. Aix 17, 7. Toulouse 17, 8. Cesson-Rennes 15, 9. Dunkirk 14 , 10. Limoges 14, 11. Saint-Raphaël 12, 12. Chartres 11, 13. Créteil 9, 14. Ivry 8, 15. Istres 6, 16. Sélestat 2.