Paris (AFP)

Paris SG, triple-winner of the Handball League Cup, logically qualified for the Final Four on 14 and 15 March at Le Mans, beating 34 to 30 Montpellier, finalist last season, Thursday.

In the world of hand tricolor, there is the PSG and the others, including Montpellier, yet the French club the most titled on the national and European level. But since the advent of PSG Hanball (2012-13), a single title of champion of France (won by Dunkerque in 2013-14) has escaped the club of the capital.

This is the third time the Montpélliérains have lost to PSG and its stars. Corrected 34-27 in the Champions Trophy and 35-30 in Starligue, the double champions of Europe have only illusion during the first quarter of an hour (7-7, 13th). Even if Thursday night, the addition was a little less heavy than in the first acts.

"They gave us problems in the second half but we made the difference before," said Parisian goalkeeper Vincent Gerard, on beIN Sports.

"We had to keep in touch as Barça (in the Champions League) had done, but we have always had a catastrophic first half, we need to gain experience," admitted Valentin Porte.

For, even though goalkeeper Marin Sego has delayed the flight of Parisians a little by stopping four shots (out of 22) and scoring directly from his cage the visitors' 10th goal (11-10), the awakening of Nikola Karabatic (2). goals on 2 shots including one after an interception) and Adama Keita's five out of five allowed the holders of the trophy to reach the break with a comfortable lead of seven (19-12).

The second period was almost a carbon copy of the first with Montpellier fights on all the balls, but they still have not solved the problem posed by the iron defense of the PSG, led with mastery by his goalkeeper Vincent Gérard ( 12 stops on 39 shots). And with the great form of Kamil Styprzak (9 goals out of 11 shots) and Mikkel Hansen (8/10), associated with the 5/5 of Karabatic, the PSG could manage rather quietly the end of the match in spite of the return of the MHB .

The Parisian steamroller has already forgotten his first defeat in 56 home games (ahead of FC Barcelona in C1), and it is difficult to see who from Nantes, Chambery and Toulouse, qualified on Wednesday, can prevent men from Raul Gonzalez to win their second title of the season, March 15 in Antares, after the Champions Trophy.

"Eliminating a direct competitor (for the title) is very important," concluded Gérard.

© 2019 AFP