Paris (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Elverum (Norway) 25-22 on Matchday 3 of the Men's Handball Champions League on Saturday, a third win in as many games in the 2019/2020 European campaign.
The Parisians made the difference after ten minutes of play in the Hakons Hall Lillehammer, lining up a 6-1 to conclude the first half with a comfortable lead (+4) that the Blue and Red have then more let go to finally win 3 goals.
Coincidentally, the PSG broke away just after the temporary exit of its top scorer this season in C1, Nikola Karabatic (11 goals), slightly touched in the leg after a duel in counterattack (21st). At this point, the Parisians chained, well led by the young winger Adama Keita (8 goals in total).
PSG relied on an effective attack (64% shooting) and a solid defense, despite the absence of his Norwegian star, Sander Sagosen, injured adductor injury Wednesday in the league, to take over the Scandinavians.
Elverum had put the dishes in large to host the PSG, relocating the meeting to 80km in Hakons Hall Lillehammer and its 12,377 spectators. Never-seen for a meeting in indoor sport in Norway since ... 1999, when the host country had won against France in the final of the Women's World Cup.
With three wins in three games, the contract is fulfilled for the players of Spaniard Raul Gonzalez, ideally launched in their race for the continental title.
For Elverum, this is a new defeat (after Aalborg and Flensburg) for this team that seems far enough from the level of its European opponents.
Placed this year in a group with Hungary Szeged, but also Barcelona and Flensburg, PSG aims the Final Four at the end of the season in Cologne (Germany), after a disappointing elimination last year in the quarterfinals against the Poles of Celje, that the teammates of Luc Abalo will find mid-October on the next day of C1.
© 2019 AFP