Paris (AFP)
The Brest handballers took a half time before fully taking the measure of Messines (30-19), in the shock of the Women's League on Wednesday night, by marking the spirits and strengthening their status as favorites for the national title.
In the standings, the Brestoises, 2nd, now have 21 points thanks to their seven wins in as many matches, while Metz with 28 points (nine wins and one loss) remains at the top of the championship, having played three more matches.
The two teams will have to meet again by the end of the season: first for the return match scheduled in a few weeks, and perhaps in the Championship final in mid-May, between the first two teams, after changing the formula of the Women's League.
Wednesday's poster kept all its promises during the first period, with Messines, quadruple reigning French champions (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) leading the score, more in pace than the Brestoises.
But in Brittany, Sandra Toft remained on her cloud of Euro-2020 a month ago: the Dane, best goalkeeper in the continental tournament three weeks ago, made 18 saves out of 35 attempts, Wednesday against Messines, in the second half allowing the Bretons to escape the score.
While the two teams were tied (13-13, 32nd), the Dragonnes conceded a severe 16-4 in the space of twenty minutes (29-17, 54th).
Left-back Ana Gros, who played in Metz for several seasons, once again played a great match in the Brest jersey, with nine goals on the clock.
"This victory is very important for us. In the second half, the defense was huge and Sandra in goal helped us a lot," commented the Slovenian at Sport in France after the meeting.
The two clubs will now switch from this weekend to Champions League mode: in Moscow on Saturday against CSKA for the Bretons, against Rostov on Sunday for the Mosellanes in their arenas.
In the other meetings of the day, Paris 92 could not do better than a draw in Dijon (21-21) and Nantes carried out the good operation thanks to its victory against Besançon.
© 2021 AFP