After being manhandled by an enthusiastic Saint-Raphaël team in the first period, PSG were able to react after the break to win (34-38) and regain a two-point lead at the top of the standings.
PSG played to scare themselves. While Montpellier won two weeks ago and Nantes were hooked on Friday, Raul Gonzalez Gutierrez’s players struggled to win the victory from a trip that promised to be complicated to Saint-Raphaël. During the first 30 minutes, the Var threat was confirmed. If Elohim Prandi (7 goals from 10 shots) replied to the opener signed Marc Anto Aillaud (4 goals from 4 shots) with two goals in 44 seconds, it was the only moment that saw the club of the Capital lead in the first period. Indeed, after seeing PSG come back up, it was at the end of the 10th minute on the SRVHB took advantage of the Parisian offensive difficulties against their former goalkeeper Vincent Gérard (5 saves at 17% efficiency) to sign a 5-0 and take a six-step lead before the conclusion of the first quarter of an hour. Petar Nenadic (7 goals from 9 shots) and Dainis Kristopans (3 goals from 3 shots) were able to keep the Capital club afloat with the difference reduced to two units with six minutes to play before the break, gap unchanged at the break . In the privacy of the locker room, the speech of Raul Gonzalez Gutierrez remobilized the troops.
60′: It’s over here in Saint-Raphael! Paris will return to the capital with two precious points in the title race before the reception of Nantes on Friday at Coubertin (34-37) #SRVHBPSG
🔜 More info to come on https://t.co/l3uFcoqfJt pic.twitter.com/lFmAj9Bg3N
— PSG Handball (@psghand) May 27, 2023
The reactionary PSG
It only took two and a half minutes for David Balaguer (3 goals on 3 shots) to put the two teams in a tie. The Raphaëlois held on thanks in particular to Raphaël Caucheteux (5 goals on 5 shots) but the tide turned at the start of the last 20 minutes. Conceding only three goals in just over ten minutes, PSG Handball scored the goals through Kamil Syprzak (8 goals from 12 shots) and Luc Steins (5 goals from 5 shots). A 9-3 which allowed the championship leader to fly away on the scoreboard. With a seven-point lead seven minutes from the end of the match, the Parisians eased off against a fine team from Saint-Raphaël, who could count on their young generation led by Noah Kouadio (4 goals on 5 shots) . PSG won in the end by three units (34-37) and provided the essentials by pushing Nantes and Montpellier to two lengths. Facing the “H” next Friday during the penultimate day of the season, the club from the capital will have the opportunity to put the lid on the championship and secure a ninth consecutive French championship title.