Nothing better than a Liqui Moly StarLigue shock to dispel doubts. Beaten two weeks ago for the first time this season in Poland against the formidable Kielce team (30-29), the PSG players set the record straight last weekend by beating Nantes (35-32). ). Enough to calmly approach their fourth European outing against Pelister, the champion of North Macedonia, this Thursday evening.
In an unprecedented shock on the European scene, PSG were largely favorites against a team which had until then only known defeat, most often in large proportions as against the Norwegians of Kolstad (22-31) and especially in Denmark against Aalborg (38-23). Nothing bad could happen to the Nikola Karabatic gang, who were in 4th place in Group A before this match. With the objective of grabbing one of the first two places which would propel them directly into the quarter-finals.
Too sure of themselves at the start
Probably too sure of themselves, Raul Gonzalez’s players attacked the match at a slow trot. Perhaps even a little too much since the Macedonians take control of the match to everyone’s surprise (5-6, 13th). The Parisian coach’s option to start players who had little playing time did not work. Then Gonzalez changes everything in the twentieth minute of play. And the Parisian reaction is not long in coming with Luc Steins and Nikola Karabatic, who offers a three-goal lead (13-10, 25th).
Despite the five goals in the first period from Serbian Uros Borzas, an old acquaintance of the French Championship since he played in Toulouse for two seasons (2020-2022), the little Macedonian Thumb loses his footing and is three goals behind after a last kung fu just before the siren (15-12).
And now Chartres and Aalborg
The second half is of the same ilk. Without shining, the Parisians are unable to take off. They maintain their small lead of three goals (23-20, 45th) which they improve in the last quarter of an hour (31-26).
If PSG did not force its talent to win, it won a valuable victory which allowed it to move up to second place after the defeat of Kielce in Germany in Kiel (35-31). The rest for the Parisians is Sunday in Chartres for a trip to the championship then Wednesday against the Danes of Aalborg, again in Coubertin.
