The Debrief: Key takeaways from the victory against Zagreb!
Handball•
In the aftermath of our Rouge et Bleus' victory against Zagreb on EHF Champions League Matchday 4 (35-32), peruse the petinent points of the with our comprehensive debrief.
This was the main point Stefan Madsen dwelt on after last night's match. With their backs against the wall, trailing by four goals with less than twenty minutes to go, the Parisians found the mental strength to turn it around. But this wasn't the first time this season that Les Rouge et Bleu have managed to come from behind and turn a match in their favour.
Against Pelister on EHF Champions League Matchday 2, Paris were in a difficult position. Trailing by one goal at the start of the final quarter (51': 26-27), the capital club completely turned the situation around, scoring seven unanswered goals against a helpless Macedonian outfit. Yesterday, Stefan Madsen and his men were on tenterhooks until the very end, before being saved by the unbeatable Mikkel Lovkvist.
Paris' success was due in no small part to a dazzling performance from their new Danish goalkeeper. As the weeks go by, Lovkvist - who this season made his Champions League debut - seems to be gaining in maturity. In the league, the former HOJ Elite player had already treated us to a 16-save haul in Aix (24-37). This time, it was during a decisive Champions League match that Mikkel Lovkvist made a name for himself.
Among his 11 saves, it is impossible not to mention his effort to deny Ihar Bialiauski. With fifty seconds left on the clock, the Belarusian international, who had already found the back of the net nine times, was denied by Mikkel, who prevented the equalising goal with his foot. Paris took advantage of the Croatian team's disappointment at this missed opportunity to add two more goals and seal an all-important victory.
Yesterday, the Parisians could count on the unconditional support of their fans. Whether they were on front or going through a tough moment, Les Rouge et Bleus' supporters cheered loudly to spur their team on. This atmosphere undoubtedly carried Paris, especially during a nail-biting final stretch. The Parisians will need your support again in their upcoming matches, particularly against Sélestat on Sunday, as they look to continue their perfect start to the league season.