Montpellier (AFP)
Montpellier lost as soon as it entered the Champions League against Vardar Skopje (33-31), just like last year, after a long cross between the two teams, Saturday in Herault.
The North-Macedonian title-holder overcame his predecessor on the charts thanks to a super-second half of his Slovenian leader, Stas Skube, elusive (8 goals).
Already last season the MHB, then reigning European champion, started with a defeat against the Vardar (27-23), the beginning of a nightmare that saw the MHB eliminated from the pools.
The hitch of Saturday is less infamous, Montpellier has given the answer to the double champion of Europe (2017, 2019). But this is the third defeat in four games since the beginning of the season for the men of Patrice Canayer, including the Champions Trophy.
Defeated at Nimes on weekdays (25-24), the Blues must recover in the league against their old rival Chambéry, Wednesday in Bougnol, to dispel doubt.
Saturday, the match began badly for the MHB, deprived of entry of his pivot Benjamin Afgour, knocked out by the elbow - involuntarily - the giant (2.15 m) Latvian Dainis Kristopans, future Parisian.
Afgour had to abandon his teammates in the second minute and his replacement, the Swede Fredric Petersson, was not very effective (1 goal).
Montpellier also showed some great things, such as Valentin Porte's brilliant goal, hitting behind his back to fool Algerian goalkeeper Khalifa Ghedbane and offer a mini-break at MHB, 14-12 (24).
At the break (17-16), the MHB even counted a three-goal lead in the 33rd minute on a goal from Hugo Descat.
But he wasted it with five unfortunate ball losses that allowed the Vardar to regain the lead (25-23, 44).
The evil Stas Skube has done the rest, giving the Montpellier defenders dizzy by his blind passes, between the legs, and his feints shot.
The season starts badly for the MHB ...
© 2019 AFP