Three days after their victorious EHF Champions League match against Szeged (29-28), the capital club returned to league action with a trip to Dijon, who are fighting to stay up in their promotion season. The Burgundians had fallen back into the relegation zone following Chartres' victory in Istres (26-28) the day before, and were determined to make a splash at home. Paris had to remain focused to avoid falling into a trap, while preparing as best they could for their European clash against Pelister in the middle of the week.
It was Dijon who started the match the stronger, taking a two-goal lead after just a few minutes, but Les Rouge et Bleu quickly found their rhythm and managed to get their noses in front (5': 2-3). The start of the match revealed the complexity of the task facing Stefan Madsen's men, with their opponents highly motivated and tenacious (10': 5-5). After ten minutes of excellent play, Mateo Maras gave his team their first break with his fifth goal of the match.
But this lead did not discourage Dijon, who continued to hold their own, staying just one goal behind for several minutes. In the middle of the first half, Les Rouge et Bleu stepped up a gear to pull away (20': 10-13). The first half was marked by a small milestone for Paris, with Yahia Omar's second goal of the match - which was, more importantly, his 400th for Paris Saint-Germain Handball!
The African champion's entry into the game gave his teammates a boost, and they managed to contain Dijon's enthusiasm before half-time (30': 14-16). The Parisians were determined to make life easier for themselves after the break by quickly extending their lead. However, the second half started as the first had ended, with DMH still tenacious and keeping in touch with the visitors.
Helped by several important saves from Mikkel Lovkvist, the capital club gradually stifled their opponents and took control of the match. With a powerful signature shot, Elohim Prandi scored his fifth goal and confirmed his team's strong performance (44': 20-25). As the minutes ticked by, the momentum continued to build, and the match seemed to be in the hands of Les Rouge et Bleu, who were sharper and more effective at both ends of the court.
With ten minutes to go, the Parisians seemed to have sealed the deal (50': 24-29), but vigilance was still required against a Burgundy side that remained combative. Stefan Madsen's men managed the final minutes well, and the Danish coach can be satisfied with the performances of his attacking players in the second half, particularly Kamil Syprzak, whose seven goals did the team a world of good.
The capital club deservedly left Dijon with two points, but they hadn't come easy (60': 27-34). Les Rouge et Bleu secured their place at the top of the Liqui Moly StarLigue, even before the end of the match between Nîmes and Nantes. It was a good way to prepare for their EHF Champions League Matchday 13 clash with Pelister on Wednesday 4 March at 20:45.
Kamil Syprzak: seven goals, Mateo Maras, Elohim Prandi: six, Sebastian Karlsson: four, Yahia Omar: three, Noah Gaudin, Luka Karabatic, Luc Steins: two, Mathieu Grebille, Wallem Peleka: one. Mikkel Lovkvist: 13 saves.
