France - LNH Proligue, Round 26

ANGERS SCO HANDBALL VS CAEN HANDBALL
12/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Beware the defeated
Here is a big match. Caen was in relegation zone just two matchdays ago. But since then, they have secured two victories while Angers narrowly failed twice. As a result, Angers is now three points adrift of Caen and Massy. With only five matchdays remaining in the championship, Angers must win if they hope to avoid relegation. On the other hand, Caen can definitively secure their survival with a victory this Friday night. Therefore, this match is of crucial importance. The management of emotions will play a significant role in this confrontation. The performance of the goalkeepers can thus be decisive in gaining a psychological advantage. Will Allan Santos, the Angers goalkeeper, make his former club regret not keeping him?
He knows most of the opposing shooters well, except for one who is currently the most important. The Caen left-back is exceptional at the moment. Alla Villeminot scored 14 goals against Billere and 12 in the previous match against Valence. He surprises with many of his shots, often playing through the defense. However, his speed of execution surpasses the opposing defenders. With his goals accompanied by numerous decisive passes to the wings or the pivot, he is the key element of the Normandy team's game. Angers coach Issam Tej will need to devise an anti-Allan plan. Their 1-5 defense may disrupt Caen's game but will significantly open up space for pivot Jordan Allais. Coming off a great performance with 9 goals, he can still benefit from numerous opportunities through his movements. Another player who will easily exploit Angers' staggered defense is Emilien Deschamps-Huard. His one-on-one quality will be revealed against the widened spaces left by this staggered defense. But as mentioned, while the attack will make the difference against this opposing defense, one man will make the difference on his own. Excellent at home but totally inconsistent and in need of transcending himself. It's the perfect match for goalkeeper Allan Santos against his former teammates. He is a rather adventurous and anticipatory goalkeeper, which will be very relevant against shooters he knows. Moreover, the ball will be heavy with the ambient pressure of survival. With over 40% saves, we believe the Angers goalkeeper will lead his team to victory. This won't be enough to overtake their opponents, but they will have closed the gap to one point, putting pressure on Caen and Massy until the last matchday. In case of the opposite outcome and with an unlucky goalkeeper, Angers will see relegation approaching rapidly. Well, maybe...

JS CHERBOURGEOISE MANCHE HB VS BILLERE HANDBALL PAU PYRÉNÉES 04/12/2024 - 8:30 PM

Indecision
Cherbourg, who announced the recruitment of Pontault's center-back Hugo Lima for next season, managed to win against the latter. A fine victory achieved during the second half thanks to a goalkeeper in top form who, as expected, frustrated all opposing shooters. On the other hand, Billere lost against Caen, who were fighting for survival. But there was a lot of frustration and discontent among the Bearnese ranks. They forgot to focus on the game. A logical defeat in the end, as their usually aggressive defense was pierced. A reaction is expected in Cotentin after an extremely long trip. Let's not forget that it's their third match in 8 days. Not easy for Cherbourg, who have rotated their squad very little. But the second-best defense in the championship should once again make the difference. Billere's left-back Dorian Vallet should see his impact reduced against defenders who will rely on Thomas Loppy's depth. What could make the difference for Billere on Friday night is their various connections with their pivots. All with different styles, they are often sought after by their backcourt players. Sometimes forced, but thanks to the quality of the latter, resulting in very few turnovers. They can therefore continue to exploit this relationship against one of the weaknesses of the opposing defense. Billere should thus timidly surpass 27 goals.
But on the other hand, Cherbourg's movement-based game, with lots of crosses, but above all, many entries in the second wave. This creates favorable mismatches for Paul-Louis Guiraudou against opposing number ones or number twos. Their series of crosses around allow their pivot to free himself and gain a physical advantage. His excellent grip means they only need to pass him the ball for him to make the difference by going to the ground. But Cherbourg is expected to be exhausted and therefore limited in offensive energy.

Therefore, we expect a draw or a very close match that will be played around 27 goals. Fatigue will outweigh offensive impact. This draw would allow Cherbourg to remain well positioned for the playoffs.


HANDBALL CLUB COURNON D’AUVERGNE VS ISTRES PROVENCE HANDBALL 04/12/ 2024 - 8:30 PM

Momentum management
Two losers from the last matchday, three days ago, face each other. Istres let Tremblay celebrate their promotion with a first-place finish five matchdays before the end. Pride was not enough against the quality of the opposing team. Meanwhile, Cournon suffered a defeat against Nancy, who are improving despite real tensions within the group. We are entering a phase of the championship where some teams have nothing left to play for. Therefore, beware of the different surprises that may arise before the end of the year. However, for this match, Cournon would like to mathematically secure their maintenance, while Istres aims to maintain their second place for the playoffs. Points on this Friday evening are therefore important for both teams.

Despite Istres' collective difficulties, they should prevail due to their striking power. Cournon's defense tends to stay rather low in the center in an attempt to manage the goalkeeper-counter relationship. But Tobias Jorgensen's strong moments should delay these defenders on crosses after these strong moments. On the other hand, Toke Schroder and Raphael Kotters should launch many long-range shots. However, Cournon will hang on, fight with heart, but will once again fail due to the momentum shifts. These will be managed by Vincent Gérard, who will make the necessary saves at the right time to allow his team to take a small lead.

Therefore, Istres should win with a score around 32 to 28. They will thus consolidate their place for the playoffs to reach the final four in Sélestat for a promotion to the Starligue.


FRONTIGNAN THAU HANDBALL VS GRAND BESANÇON DOUBS HANDBALL 04/13/2024 - 6:30 P.M.

Prolific attacks
A match to aim for the playoffs. With four points behind, Frontignan finds themselves trailing their opponents for the night but could catch up to them or even surpass them to secure a spot in the playoffs. This would reassure a group that is not responsible for their club's financial problems. The battle in the corridors is currently more about returning to N1 rather than N3. The players now only have to play for pleasure and show their potential for the future. Those who indeed wish to move out of the region must prove themselves and be effective. And a place in the playoffs would allow them to do so even more.

Besançon, on the other hand, must be satisfied with finding a relevant collective game that brings danger on all sectors and on all players listed on the match sheet. Their easy victory against Massy sets the tone for their progress. And they too would like to go through the playoffs. So, they will need to deliver another big match. Mathis Beauchef, the third top scorer in Proligue with 5.8 goals per game, should find many opportunities against Nathy Camara, who is more focused on interception and forward projection. Camara is the top scorer in Proligue with 7.5 goals per game. But in this matchup, we believe that Mathis, the Besançon right winger, will have more chances than his opponent tonight. The latter's defensive quality is better and more focused on protecting his goal.

But if only that were enough. We do not think so because we see Frontignan taking the lead with their fast-paced game and strong connection with the pivot. This remains a weakness for Besançon, who struggle to defend against opposing pivots. However, on the other hand, it will be the same story with Enzo Handjou and Jotham Mandiangu. Both pivots will also outperform their physically weaker opponents tonight. But the sharp attack will surpass their major defensive concerns.

We expect a high-scoring match. The score in favor of Frontignan could reach 36 to 35. However, the match will be tight with two quality squads.


PONTAULT-COMBAULT HANDBALL VS VALENCE HANDBALL 13/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Pontault is crumbling with three consecutive defeats. Injuries to their backcourt make them vulnerable. They lost 30- 25 against Cherbourg last Tuesday. However, they have a chance to bounce back against Valence. Their verticality in the game should prevail over Valence's defensive retreat. Driven by the speed of the wingers and Kevin Taufond, they create numerous rapid solutions. They are not in overdrive because they control the ball well. Combined with the gradual return of Robin Cantegrel in goal, they should regain some defensive stability, allowing them to project forward again. The slow retreat of Valence will be exposed. Pontault should surpass 30 goals, scoring more than 15 in open spaces. The wingers will once again be among the top scorers for their team. But in organized attack, it's Kevin Taufond who makes the difference with his speed and explosive interval plays. He may sometimes force his way through, but it's minimal compared to the number of opportunities he creates.

He will once again be the top scorer for his team, consistently challenging Yoann Eudaric. Valence's very intelligent defender lacks mobility and will struggle against the opposing dynamism.
Therefore, speed should prevail. It's modern handball as we love to see it played.

Pontault will manage to break their streak of defeats and rekindle their bid for the second place. Valence, even without a victory, will move closer to securing their survival as long as their direct opponents continue to lose.


SÉLESTAT ALSACE HANDBALL VS SARREBOURG MOSELLE SUD HANDBALL 12/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Successful rest
Sarrebourg has just won against Angers with an attack that remains as formidable as ever. They scored 36 goals once again, with Louis Despreaux shining brightly.
What stands out the most this season, however, is their center Marius Randriantseheno. Despite his small stature, he's having the best season of his career. Impactful in both attack and defense, he manages his team's offense masterfully. He's currently the 6th highest scorer in the Proligue this season, averaging 5.6 goals per match. His duels make him an unstoppable and difficult-to-stop player. Even if he doesn't win the initial duel, he has the agility to turn things around quickly. Moreover, he excels at setting up his teammates, as evidenced by his right-back, Louis Despreaux, who is the 7th highest scorer in the league with an average of 6 goals per match. This makes their attack formidable, averaging 29.4 goals per match.
However, this might not be enough against Sélestat, one of the best defenses in the league with a pair of successful goalkeepers. The difference will mainly be in energy. While Sarrebourg will be playing their third match in 8 days, Sélestat will be well-rested, having had their match against Villeurbanne canceled months ago. They will arrive in top form against a slightly fatigued Sarrebourg team lacking in rotation for such frequent matches. While the European pace is enjoyable, it's not easy to maintain. Therefore, Sélestat will have all the advantages to neutralize Sarrebourg's attack and exploit open spaces. Tom Vinatier and his teammates will capitalize on this as the match progresses and the intensity of their opponents wanes, creating an insurmountable lead. At that point, Sarrebourg will likely ease off and start rotating players.

Therefore, Sélestat is expected to win with a score around 32-28. The race for the playoffs continues as teams aim to secure home-field advantage before the final four at home, where anything can happen.

TREMBLAY-EN-FRANCE HANDBALL VS NANCY HANDBALL 13/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

The royal road
And there it is, they've done it. Tremblay is certain to finish first and thus gain access to the Liqui Moly Starligue. The recruitment process is already well underway with four signings already announced. However, the team should remain stable as it was already built to compete at a higher level. With only one defeat so far, boasting former French national team players like goalkeeper Cyril Dumoulin and center Nicolas Claire, Tremblay's lineup also includes the latest Proligue MVP, center Matteo Fadhuile. Additionally, positions are doubled or even tripled by players who would easily secure a starting spot in any Proligue team. Their individual qualities have been harnessed for the collective good. Cherif Amani has masterfully managed all these egos to produce an exceptional season. The team cohesion has been outstanding, despite each player potentially having the talent to play a full 60 minutes. They've accepted rotation, not always being starters depending on the matches. Scoring has been distributed differently in each game, with 2 to 3 players consistently standing out, but never the same ones. Now, they just need to prepare for the final four in Sélestat to cap off their remarkable season with a championship title. However, there's a risk of possible relaxation with four matches that don't serve much purpose anymore. This weekend, they face Nancy, who's showing signs of improvement but also internal conflicts. They are the opposite of tonight's opponents. Yet, Rohnan Conte Prat's speed on fast breaks should still make an impact, as well as their 7-on-6 strategy that has opened doors to the wings against opposing defenses. This tactic has resulted in two matches with over 30 goals.

Therefore, they're likely to employ it again this Saturday night. However, it won't be enough against the cohesion of their opponents. Tremblay is expected to win by a large margin, around 38-30. The joy of playing together will undoubtedly remain evident.