Paris (AFP)
Montpellier sank into the crisis by suffering its third defeat in a row in the French Handball Championship against Istres, 28 to 27, at home on Wednesday.
The Montpellier team lost last week against Ivry, another poorly classified team, and also lost at home before the truce against Nantes in late December.
The MHB risks slipping to fifth place if Toulouse takes at least one point at Saint-Raphaël Thursday in the last match of the 15th day. But above all, he is now six points behind in second place qualifying for the Champions League occupied by Nantes.
"I have seen players fleeing their responsibilities, who in hot moments fail to make a pass, a dribble, a shot. We lose the thread. I do not recognize the team I like. Today "We are sick today," said Captain Valentin Porte to BeinSports' microphone.
The two teams engaged in a mano a mano in which the gap never exceeded two goals. Istres, who had won only one of his nine previous Starligue games and had never come to win in Montpellier, preserved his advantage thanks to a final stop by Mehdi Arbaoui on a shot from Melvyn Richardson. Young istrean winger Andrea Guillaume was the top scorer of the match with 11 goals.
Paris SG extended their flawless stroll to Aix 38 to 28 thanks to 18 saves by Spaniard Rodrigo Corrales and six goals from Nedim Remili and Pole Kamil Syprzak. The defending champions maintain a comfortable lead over Nantes, who crushed Ivry 38-24 with 8 goals from Spanish winger David Balaguer.
Nîmes kept its place on the podium by easily winning at Créteil 35 to 28 thanks to ten goals from O'Brian Nyateu.
© 2020 AFP