Paris
After four matchdays, our Parisians had already found their rhythm in the league. Sitting alone at the top of the standings with four wins from as many matches, the capital club were looking to continue their run away to Saran. With Saran just two points behind Les Rouge et Bleu, over 7,000 spectators turned out at the CO’MET Arena in Orléans on Thursday evening to witness this top-of-the-table clash. The newly promoted side, who had impressed so far this season with three wins from four matches, were determined to push the French champions to their limits!
As expected, the match got off to a frenetic start. After thrilling the crowd by scoring the first two goals of the game (2': 2–0), Saran then found themselves on the back foot against the formidable attacking prowess of our Rouge et Bleu (8': 2–6). Both in the running for the league's Player of the Month award for September, Luc Steins and Zoran Radic were the main attractions of this first half.
While the Dutch international proved unstoppable against the Bosnian goalkeeper (five goals from as many attempts by half-time), the young goalkeeper also impressed with seven saves (23': 10–15). The home side, however, struggled to mount a comeback, the imperious Rodrigo Corrales making six saves to help his team end the first half with a comfortable lead (30': 15–19).
The Septors’ problems at the end of the first half appeared to carry over after the sides returned from the changing rooms. This was down to the home side’s defensive lapses, which allowed our Parisians to make their mark. Noah Gaudin scored a hat-trick, passing the 100-goal mark in all competitions for Paris in the process (36': 17-23). As the match progressed, Stefan Madsen gave playing time to his entire squad, allowing everyone to join in the celebrations.
After Wallem Peleka, Simen Lyse, Luka Karabatic and Mateo Maras in the first half, it was Bjarki Elisson and Kamil Syprzak who took centre stage. With four second-half goals, including three in quick succession, our pivot cemented his status as Paris’s top scorer in the league this season (53': 23-33). Spurred on by the hundred or so ultras who had come to cheer them on and make their voices heard at the CO’MET Arena in Orléans, the capital club secured their biggest win of the season and continued their perfect run in the league (60': 27–36)!
Luc Steins, Yahia Omar, Kamil Syprzak: Six goals; Emil Mellegard, Noah Gaudin: four; Mateo Maras, Ferran Solé, Wallem Peleka: two goals; Bjarki Elisson, Luka Karabatic, Simen Lyse, Frederik Ladefoged: one.
Noah Gaudin, in a one-on-one with former Titi Thomas Loppy, lines up his shot to beat Zoran Radic and score his second goal of the evening – his 100th goal in all competitions for Paris!
The Champions League returns to Coubertin next week! On Matchday 3 – the final matchday of the first half of the group stage – Les Rouge et Bleu take on RK Celje on Wednesday at 20:45. The Slovenian side currently sit bottom of Group B after losing their first two matches, while Paris are joint-top with Aalborg.
