The headline clash for Liqui Moly StarLigue Matchday pitted leaders Paris Saint-Germain against third-placed Montpellier. With a game in hand on Nantes, Les Rouge et Bleu had a chance to move two points clear at the top, while Montpellier were looking to win at home to keep their Champions League hopes alive. There was plenty at stake in this classic French league fixture, and it promised to be an exciting encounter.
It took just over two minutes to break the deadlock, with Kamil Syprzak firing home from seven metres. After a tentative start, the battle was on! As expected, it was an intense opening phase, with the scores very close (10'6-6). With five early saves, Rémi Desbonnet proved a valuable asset for Montpellier, continually preventing the visitors from pulling away.
Taking advantage of a temporary send-off for Valentin Porte, Les Rouge et Bleu managed to break away after fifteen minutes, forcing Erick Mathé to call his first timeout (15': 7-9). More clinical, the capital club took a slight lead in the first half, extending their advantage to three and then four goals (23': 10-14). The Parisians were in control, but their opponents had not said their last word.
Montpellier tried to push forward, but Paris remained calm and kept their cool in a lively end to the first half. With five consecutive saves, Mikkel Lovkvist frustrated the hosts, and it was Les Rouge et Bleu who were in control at half-time (30': 14-18). After a shaky start, Stefan Madsen's men had stepped up their game and took a deserved lead into the break.
Just after the restart, Yahia Omar scored his sixth goal with a magnificent shot, confirming his team's intention to keep pulling clear. But MHB also got off to a good start in the second half and managed to close the gap (37: 19-21). Just back on the court, Jannick Green stopped a seven-metre throw from Swedish penalty specialist Jack Thurin, helping the Parisian side to hold firm in the face of their opponents' strong spell.
But the match was far from over and the battle raged on; the Parisians had to try to maintain their advantage in a white-hot arena spurring Montpellier on. After a perfect interception, Wallem Peleka gave his teammates a boost (47': 22-26). The players from the capital remained calm in the final stages of the match, despite Montpellier's best efforts to turn it around.
On the back of a huge performance against Pelister during the week, Yahia continued his impressive run with an eighth goal (54': 25-29). The end of the match was tense, and Jannick was decisive, but in the final seconds, it was Wallem who ended MHB's hopes and secured a very important victory for Les Rouge et Bleu (60': 30-32).
Once again two points clear at the top of the league, Paris now tur their attentions to the final match of the EHF Champions League group stage, against Magdeburg at Coubertin on Wednesday 11 March (20:45). Four days later, Stefan Madsen's men will have the opportunity to continue their run in the StarLigue against Toulouse. Two home games in which our players will need all the support they can get from their fans!
Yahia Omar: eight goals, Kamil Syprzak: six, Wallem Peleka, Ferran Sole: five, Elohim Prandi: three, Luka Karabatic, Luc Steins: two, Mathieu Grébille: one. Jannick Green, Mikkel Lovkvist: five saves.
