Handball

LNH DIVISION 1 – Round 20

Lao Stand

Mar 6, 2024 • 9 min read

PAYS AIX UNIVERSITÉ CLUB HANDBALLVS UNKERQUE HANDBALL GRAND LITTORAL (08/03/ 2024)

Collective preference
Aix, currently 8th with 20 points, hosts Dunkirk, 10th with 15 points. Both teams are coming off a recent victory, reigniting their momentum. We are aware of Aix's administrative issues and Dunkirk's struggles with results. However, Dunkirk secured their position with a convincing 32-24 win against Créteil. Their survival now seems assured, allowing them to shift their focus upwards. They have a 5-point gap to bridge with the team above them, giving them the opportunity to pursue a strong finish to the season. On the other hand, Aix faces uncertainties regarding their objectives due to their problems. Nonetheless, they managed to secure a 34-32 victory against Saran. Aix's sharp attack will thus confront Dunkirk's effective defensive play. With Benjamin Afgour leading the defense, Dunkirk displays strong collective effort in their defensive strategies. This cohesion is crucial against Aix, whose individual qualities are impressive. Therefore, we anticipate a fragmented game with Dunkirk committing many fouls. Aix's lack of continuity in their play, relying primarily on two-player combinations to make decisive moves, means that if Valentin Kieffer continues to perform well in goal for Dunkirk, they could limit Aix to 28 goals. However, the question remains whether Aix has the means to score enough goals to clinch victory.

This is less certain indeed. Aix's struggles in linking up around the pivot, especially in the center, could provide opportunities for Dunkirk's pivots, Benjamin Afgour and Schuichi Yoshida, to find scoring opportunities through their positioning. Together, they are likely to be the top scorers in this matchup. Dunkirk's strength lies in playing the long game, which could pose a challenge to Aix, a team that relies more on individual qualities than collective mastery.

As we favor collective play, we hope and believe that Dunkirk could spring a surprise by securing a victory against Aix by a narrow margin.

CESSON RENNES MÉTROPOLE HB VS PM HBC NANTES
(MARCH 08, 2024)

Derby Breton
A Breton derby awaits us. While purists may argue that Nantes is not in Brittany, in any case, we have a derby on our hands. Rarely heated, however, as Nantes has been dominant for years. After their huge victory with 47 goals against Dijon, there's no doubt they want to replicate that performance. Their victory in the EHF Cup also boosts their confidence. Some returning players from injury also bolster their lineup, although we've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the young players coming through, such as right-back Ernest Pineau. He's been showcasing his potential in both duels and long-range shots with his agility. We should see him in action again against Cesson.

Cesson, who secured a solid victory against Limoges with a score of 33-29, should have ambitions against Nantes. However, now that the Nantes machine is well-oiled, it will be difficult to disrupt it.
For that, Cesson would need a standout performance from Alejandro Romero, who bent the Limoges defense with assistance from his teammates. However, the Nantes offense is so strong that it should prevail. Aymeric Minne's relentless attacks wear down defenders, leaving his teammates to capitalize on his efforts. Théo Monar, the Nantes pivot, understands this well. He positions himself under the defenders that Aymeric naturally draws out, leaving him open underneath or gaining position against the other defensive players. The 47 goals scored last weekend demonstrate how challenging they are to defend against.

On the other hand, in attack, Axel Oppedisano's sliding work for Cesson could exploit Nantes' weaknesses. His low center of gravity and well-anticipated movements should trouble the Nantes defense, which focuses heavily on depth to disrupt the opponent's play. Axel should be one of his team's top scorers, supported by Mathieu Salou's impactful long-range shots, which will force the Nantes defense to spread out. Salou, who now plays closer to the action, is becoming increasingly effective. Therefore, Cesson's team should pose problems for the opposing defense and score more than 30 goals.

So, in a high-scoring match, Nantes should still manage to come out on top with a scoreline around 38-32.

C’CHARTRES MÉTROPOLE HANDBALL VS US CRÉTEIL HANDBALL (MARCH 08, 2024)

Launching the rocket?
Chartres is on a roll. They just keep surprising us. First, a draw against Nantes, and now this magnificent victory against Chambéry. They're defying all our predictions. And it's all thanks to an excellent goalkeeper, Milan Bomastar. This 24- year-old Serbian goalkeeper shows real potential to become a great goalkeeper. He's still too inconsistent for now and often shows his intentions too early. But his coach, Nebosja Stojinovic, a former excellent goalkeeper in the French league, will provide him with the details he needs. And against a Créteil team lacking confidence lately, he could once again deliver a stellar performance and make more than 10 saves. Créteil is indeed coming off five consecutive losses. It would have been a good match for them to bounce back, but the current quality of Chartres makes us think otherwise.

The experience of the Chartres players should make the difference against the explosiveness and commitment shown by Créteil. Their game plan continuously aims to create problems for their opponents. And with diminished confidence, this doesn't help. They'll still force their initial intentions, which should facilitate the Chartres defense. Their defense is mainly struggling with combinations, especially with cross-overs. But Créteil's setups often bring Mario Lopez, the right winger, into a crossover and then inside, but this tightens the game and thus makes it easier for the opposing defense. Chartres should therefore contain Créteil to less than 30 goals.

And with the return of injured players, their attack is once again balanced. Once locked into a system, they can now vary their setups and pose a threat in all positions. And against Créteil, the defensive difficulties are numerous. Yvan Vérin should be the top scorer of the match with his power, hip shots, and fiery duels.

Chartres' attack will lead their team to victory by surpassing 32 goals. They should win by around 33 to 29.

DIJON MÉTROPOLE HB VS SARAN LOIRET HANDBALL (MARCH 08, 2024)

Death match?
A chance for Dijon to draw level on points with their opponents tonight, Saran. However, beware of defeat, which would see Dijon plummet towards relegation to the ProLigue. Indeed, the last-placed team faces the second-to-last, with only a 2-point gap between them. The team third from bottom is also level on points with Saran. You can understand the importance of this clash for survival. The ball should therefore carry significant weight. All players are aware of the significance of this match. It's expected to be a closed, defensive encounter where goalkeepers will have their say. So, that's the tense context. Now, it's time to determine who will defend better.

We believe Dijon should fare better in this regard. The weaknesses of Clément Damiani will be exploited by the duels of Steeven Bois or Malo Lignieres, the two diminutive Dijon centers. Indeed, there's no need to seek extensive continuity when the ball is heavier than usual. Focus should be on duels or two-player combinations. With the arrival of Edgar Dentz this winter, Dijon has found a dominant pivot in their attack. These three players should contribute to the difference in organized attacks made by the Burgundians. Saran's defensive specialist, Théo Clarac, won't be able to cover everywhere. So, Dijon's attack should still come out on top offensively, in a closed match, mind you. But will the same apply to Saran's attack?
It depends on the utilization of Pau Oliveras, in our view. He could make the difference with his explosiveness, just like Romuald Kolle, the other left-back in this team. The connection with the pivot by William Accambray should also be incisive. Mohamed Mandouh, the newcomer, has already scored 5 goals on assists from his back, so we also believe that Saran should gain the upper hand offensively against Dijon's defense.

The difference will then come down to the goalkeepers. Both over 40 years old, highly experienced, will have their say. And in a context like this, we see Wassim Helal excelling. Because precision will be key, and that's his strength, being a very atypical goalkeeper who often loses his balance.

Wassim Helal should therefore lead Dijon to victory on home turf in a tightly contested match that shouldn't be decided by more than two goals and without exceeding 28 goals.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN HANDBALL VS CHAMBÉRY SAVOIE HANDBALL (MARCH 09, 2024 - CET 7PM)

A "great" center-half
The PSG faced their first setback of the year with a draw against their nemesis, Toulouse. They just can't seem to figure out how to beat this team. It has been several seasons now that this has been one of their only stumbling blocks throughout the year. It's easy to understand why, especially since Luc Steins used to play for Toulouse, bringing his fervor to every court in France. However, he is now a Parisian. Yet, his Toulouse spirit seemed to linger as his scoring statistics remained blank in this encounter. Chambéry is coming to Paris with a desire to achieve an upset as well, but top teams typically don't lose two matches in a row. They usually set the record straight in the following match. So, the Savoyards should be wary, especially after being caught off guard at home by Chartres. The absence of Gustavo Rodriguez in the Chambéry ranks was felt deeply, as the game eventually leaned towards the left, something that hadn't happened in a long time. Additionally, Chartres decided to adopt this strategy to disrupt Benjamin Richert's play, which turned out to be successful with their significant victory. However, in the league, Parisians don't devise grand strategies against their opponents. They typically stick to their game plan and try to excel in their style of play. Their strategic choices are more apparent in the Champions League matches against tougher opponents.

For Saturday night, it will be Luc Steins who will show what he's made of. He may have shown compassion towards his former teammates, but they also have the ability to disrupt him. The lack of mobility among the Chambéry defenders will ultimately lead to their downfall. Pierre Paturel and Hugo Brouzet will struggle to contain the Dutch genius.

PSG, led by Luc Steins, should therefore easily emerge victorious, surpassing the 35-goal mark once again.

SAINT-RAPHAËL VHB VS US IVRY HANDBALL (MARCH 08, 2024)

Prolific match in sight
Two teams that were caught off guard last weekend face each other. Saint-Raphaël lost by 3 goals to Limoges, while Ivry lost by 4 goals at home against Cesson. Each team now needs a victory: Ivry to ensure their maintenance and Saint- Raphaël to stay in the race for European qualification. An exciting offensive duel awaits us.

However, Ivry struggles to create clear offensive opportunities. They either play with little initial threat or lack continuity in their attacks. Their screen crosses are now predictable and so lateral that they are easy to read. The experience of "du Panda," Saint-Raphaël's defensive linchpin, should allow him to control these movements and be present at the right moment and tempo. As a result, the backcourt shooters of Ivry will find their attempts thwarted. Moreover, Didier Dinart makes many changes, which seems to disrupt his team. Aymeric Zaepfel, who scored 11 and 12 goals in the last two matches, did not start the game. Perhaps this impacted his confidence, as he ended up with a blank score sheet. Antonin Mohamed was shifted back to the wing, losing his impact and dynamism in Ivry's attack. We were not present last week to see what happened, so these choices are certainly justified. However, replicating what works is often guided by success.

On the other hand, Saint-Raphaël manages to stick to their game plan very well. Despite some injuries handicapping them, they remain consistent in their strategic approach. They continue to rely on their wing players, who scored a combined total of 13 goals in recent games, along with effective connections with low pivots and the impactful José Marquez.

The mastery of their game signature should lead Saint-Raphaël to win this match by a 5-goal margin, while comfortably surpassing the 30-goal mark once again.

FENIX TOULOUSE HANDBALL VS USAM NÎMES GARD
(MARCH 08, 2024)

Validate the feat
What an achievement once again for Toulouse against PSG! However, they must harbor some regrets as victory was within their grasp, leading for most of the game but unfortunately failing in the final seconds. Nonetheless, the draw remains positive as it was not a point originally accounted for in their plans. As for Nîmes, it's another Occitanie derby. After falling short against Montpellier, particularly against Rémi Desbonnet, allowing only 16 goals, a rarity in modern handball at this level. How should they react now?

The absence of Boïba Sissoko is undoubtedly detrimental to USAM. His offensive impact was significant for the Nîmes attack. Jesper Konradsson has been unable to find his form, lacking the ability to win duels, which used to be his strength. Perhaps the game plan doesn't entirely suit his style, or perhaps his mind is already elsewhere in future projects. Nîmes truly lacks a playmaker in the center-back position to inject speed into their gameplay and ball circulation. As a result, the backcourt players continually launch attacks against defenders who have had time to organize, thus maintaining their balance. Toulouse's defensive mobility should exacerbate these difficulties. Certainly, Nîmes will score more than 25 goals again, but it may not be enough against the offensive onslaught of Toulouse.

Indeed, Toulouse should surpass the 32-goal mark. Of course, Ayyoub Abdi will continue his work at right-back. The future Nantes player has already caused problems for PSG and should continue to do so against Nîmes. But at the moment, the X factor is Erwinn Feutchmann, the Chilean backcourt player. Despite not being the most technically skilled, his heart is as big as his country, and he manages to shine through sheer determination. Against the aggressive Nîmes defense, his mental strength will be invaluable, being the first to put his head in the spaces.

His contribution will help Toulouse secure victory against Nîmes by a 6-goal margin. Thus, they will continue to apply pressure on Montpellier to secure the third place.

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