Handball

LNH DIVISION 1 – Round 26

Lao Stand

Apr 23, 2024 • 11 min read

PROVENCE AIX UNIVERSITÉ CLUB HANDBALL VS SAINT-RAPHAËL VHB 25/04/2024 - 8PM

Wingers on fire

Aix, who trailed throughout the match against Chartres, emerged victorious by a single goal in Chartres' new arena. A strong period of 8 minutes made the difference. Saint-Raphaël, on the other hand, had a similar scenario. Trailing all along against Toulouse, they managed to snatch a draw, a good point against the fourth-placed team. They now face each other to vie for the sixth place. It's all very tightly contested. However, there's concern about Romain Lagarde's injury from the previous match, and he may miss this clash.

But in Aix, there's a dynamic duo. Right winger Gabriel Loesch, who boasts an impressive 20/20 combined in his last two outings. The Aix right winger has a keen understanding of goalkeepers. He regularly outsmarts them and has rarely failed this season. He's also the fourth-highest scorer in the rankings, averaging 6.6 goals per game. Against Saint-Raphaël, he's expected to be sharp and decisive. But the other player alongside him is performing at an exceptionally high level. That's the center-back Ian Tarrafeta. Chartres defender Hugo Jund must still be haunted by him. One moment he's striking at his head, then at his hip, one-on-one, and if not, providing assists to his pivot or wingers. His range of play is immense. One can imagine Saint-Raphaël coach Benjamin Braux devising an anti-Ian plan. With Romain Lagarde absent, only young Elliot Desblancs remains in the backcourt, along with the left-handed players. Given the need to get the latter into play and the young back's lack of experience, we should expect Saint-Raphaël to take risks but recover many balls to convert into counterattacks. Raphaël Caucheteux and Drevy Paschal should thrive in this scenario. This incredible pair of left wingers is currently scoring more than 12 goals between them in every game. They even scored 16 against Toulouse. That's how the match will play out, thanks to the anti-Ian Tarrafeta strategy.

Saint-Raphaël will thus prevail thanks to a fiery attack, surpassing 35 goals. And while their plan may not necessarily lead to better defense, it will enable them to recover more balls and, therefore, more possessions. The match is expected to end around 36-30.

DIJON MÉTROPOLE HB VS CHAMBÉRY SAVOIE HB 26/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Tilting
Dijon is no longer at the bottom. Finally! And this is thanks to their victory against a direct competitor. They brilliantly won 33-27 on Créteil's court. The latter have taken their place in the standings. Now the Burgundians are considering what comes next. They, who hope for survival, are just one point behind Saran, the first team not in relegation. But it will take an extraordinary effort this Friday if they wish to gain points. Hosting Chambéry is never easy. They, who are coming off a good draw against Montpellier, faced domination throughout the match but never gave up until the last second to finish 30-30. They must continue if they aim to finish the championship in sixth place, a sign of Europe. But for that, they are fighting with Nîmes, Aix-en-Provence, and Saint-Raphaël, all within one point.

Sebastian Skube returned earlier than expected, which greatly benefited the Savoyards. But their game plan remains unchanged: a strong central focus and exploitation on the wings, especially towards the right. The game heavily leans in that direction, but with much success. In fact, the right side scored 18 out of the 30 goals last week. Everyone knows it, but no one manages to stop them. What can the Dijon coach, Ulrich Chaduteaud, offer to surprise them? Except for a fired-up Wassim Helal. He, being so atypical, can surprise, but it's far from easy.
What's certain is that the coach has found the way since implementing 15-minute rotations for the backcourt players and 30- minute rotations for the wingers. Each has their fair share of playing time and seems satisfied. The game is now fairly distributed, and danger comes from all sides.

However, we don't believe Dijon will be able to diminish Chambéry's offensive efficiency. Therefore, Chambéry should prevail with a score around 35-32. A good, high-scoring match from both teams, with the left-handers still dazzling.

US IVRY HANDBALL VS US CRÉTEIL HANDBALL 26/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Finishing the job
Ivry must be feeling down. After narrowly missing out on a win against Aix due to missed opportunities in the final minutes, they have just lost by a tiny margin to Limoges. Even though they were leading and controlling the match throughout, it was not only Elohim Prandi who scored from direct free kicks but also Ihor Turchenko, the Ukrainian left-back. He crushed Ivry with a free kick in the last second of the match. Ivry plays well but fails to reward themselves. They struggle to seize the momentum of a game to clinch victory. Limoges' experience prevailed, but it's not just them unfortunately. Ivry is the team that has lost the most matches this year by a margin of less than two goals. It's often said that it's the coach's fault when it's like this! But isn't it also a lack of confidence and control? In any case, Ivry always offers entertaining gameplay for its supporters. But they must regularly feel disappointed because how can they improve during the match? They can't; their game is already relevant. We would love to see them rewarded. It would be well deserved. And it should happen against Créteil. The absence of Kylian Rigault has led, as expected, to a longer offensive game, taking time to find the right solution. But as a result, they often move in circles and lack depth in their runs or on their final supports. Ivry should adapt to this and project forward through the Petit brothers. One small downside, however, is the knee injury to Adrien Zaepfel in the last match, who did not return to the game. We don't know what it is, but it would be a detrimental absence for Ivry. We hope for him that it's nothing serious and that his exit was mostly a precautionary measure to see him back this Friday.

If he's present, he will naturally help his teammates clinch victory in this crucial Parisian derby for survival. The red and blacks should win by a score around 33-30. Ivry would then be safe, and Créteil would remain in great difficulty, stuck at the bottom of the table.

LIMOGES HAND 87 VS HBC NANTES - 26/04/2024- 8PM

Decompression lock
Nantes did it! And in what fashion! They won the French Cup by crushing PSG 31-23. They then immediately turned their focus to Berlin for the quarterfinals of the EHF European League. With a two-legged match in between against Limoges, this is the ultimate trap game. Additionally, Limoges' former coach, who knows the Nantes players well from his time at H, could add an element of surprise. Yet deep down, the Nantes players hope that PSG will slip up twice before the end of the year, allowing them to catch up and compete for the French championship. But to do that, they must defeat Limoges. What will Alberto Entrerios have prepared for them? Firstly, a team brimming with confidence. In a match they should have lost against Ivry, they emerged victorious, with Ihor Turchenko scoring on the buzzer, reminiscent of Elohim Prandi's heroics at the Euros. Needless to say, this gives them confidence.

The Ukrainian left-back could capitalize on this goal. With his strong long-range shots, he could trouble the Nantes defense. The Limoges game plan allows them time to find solutions. They are willing to wait and not rush their decisions during the early stages. Coach Entrerios gives offensive playing time to Seif El-Deraa in the second quarter of the game, which has proven effective. He consistently scores over 5 goals per match. The collective euphoria will enable Limoges to create an upset. LH could win by a large margin, say, 35-32. The Nantes players may have their minds on Berlin and their qualification for the EHF European League Final Four. That would also be a huge achievement against the German powerhouse competing for the title. But now that they are emboldened after their title win, there may be little to stop them.

MONTPELLIER HANDBALL VS CESSON RENNES MÉTROPOLE HB 27/04/2024 - 8PM

Not a betting game
Yes, the Bretons and the Savoyards certainly have character. As a result, Montpellier dropped points against determined Chambéry players. They had to settle for a draw even though they had control of the match. On the other hand, Cesson faced a different scenario but managed to go toe-to-toe with PSG throughout the game. Now they travel to Montpellier, who will be focused on their double confrontation against Kiel in the Champions League quarterfinals. Just like for Nantes and Paris, this is the ultimate trap game, as switching mental focus is never easy even at this level. Especially considering Montpellier doesn't have much left to play for. With a 7-point lead over Toulouse, their third-place finish is already secured. And with a four-point gap behind Nantes, their hopes of grabbing second place are slim. So it's safe to assume the players have done the math, and there's no need for a Parisian twist to see the Bretons come out on top.

But for that to happen, they need to put on a great performance in all areas. Defensively, there's no doubt they'll continue to bring the aggression along with solid closing techniques. While their defense leaves room for pivot solutions, Veron Nacinovic and Arthur Lenne inside must overcome Arnaud Tabarand, a goalkeeper known for his atypical style.
Then, most importantly, in attack, Cesson must shine. The return of Mathieu Salou will lead to a more staggered defense, creating more opportunities for Axel Oppedisano, the highly mobile pivot who excels in anticipating plays. Despite his unusual profile for a pivot, being quite small, he consistently finds himself in good positions thanks to his impeccable timing. This duo could put Montpellier in difficulty.

And that might be enough to see Cesson triumph in Hérault with a score around 31-30. The Montpellier players will prefer to conserve energy for their clash against Kiel four days later.

USAM NÎMES GARD VS C’CHARTRES MÉTROPOLE HANDBALL 26/04/ 2024 - 8PM

30 minutes to make the difference
Nîmes, still in the race for Europe, has just dropped precious points against Dunkirk. They aim to bounce back with a home game against Chartres. They must be filled with regrets; despite leading for much of the match, they faltered in the final moments against Aix in their magnificent new arena. There's always an adjustment period to feel at home and reduce the pressure of playing in such a beautiful venue. As a result, Chartres has now suffered their sixth consecutive defeat. Yet, they only need one small victory to mathematically secure their survival. They'll need to put together a complete performance in all areas if they wish to succeed.

Nîmes, naturally having reviewed the video footage, will have identified a significant defensive weakness: Hugo Jund, the pivot who defends in the 3-3 formation. He must still be haunted by Ian Tarrafeta, who exploited his vulnerabilities. Both Jesper Konradsonn and Jean Jacques Acquevillo should regularly attack him in duels. However, his greatest weakness lies in managing the pivot and depth. Nîmes will employ movement around the pivot to flatten him out and allow long-range shooters like Quentin Minel to shine. Nîmes should therefore find offensive solutions and gain the upper hand as the match progresses. In defense, Nîmes' teamwork will be their salvation. They will concede few goals to Yvan Vérin in one-on-one situations due to solid support. However, they may leave openings for Sergiy Onufriyenko to score from distance. Despite playing only one half, he consistently nets 5 to 6 goals. He pairs well with Yassine Ben Salem, who takes the other half. Ben Salem is impactful in his engagement but often shoots from the same area. Nîmes' goalkeeper, Joze Baznik, should outperform him, reducing Chartres' attacking impact for at least one half.

Considering these factors, we see Nîmes prevailing at home with a scoreline around 30-26.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN HANDBALL VS DUNKERQUE HANDBALL GRAND LITTORAL - 28/04/2024 - 5PM

The championship comes first
Paris' weaknesses were laid bare, and not just a little bit. The defeat in the French Cup final against H was a spectacle. The Parisians never seemed to have a chance at claiming the title. What was most evident was their profound fatigue. Did Raul Gonzalez make the right choices? He heavily relied on his three musketeers: Luc Steins, the diminutive Dutch playmaker; Elohim Prandi, the left back; and Kamil Szyprzak, the pivot. These three players are consistently the best performers and top scorers for their team. This reliance allowed Paris to comfortably lead the French championship. But at the most critical point in the Parisian calendar, they seem physically and psychologically exhausted. We even witnessed the loss of one of the musketeers with Elohim Prandi's injury during the final. Yet, there can be no more slip-ups from now until the end of the year to maintain their lead and secure the title. However, PSG will kick off their double confrontation against Barcelona for a spot in the Final Four. This has been one of their top priorities for years. The Parisians will therefore leave more feathers in this quarter-final. Will they have enough energy to face Dunkirk? The latter easily got the better of Nîmes with a 31-26 victory. They don't have much left to play for in this championship except for enjoying the game and trying to upset big teams like Paris.

But why would Raul Gonzalez change his approach? He should still rely heavily on his best players to overcome Dunkirk. Kamil Syprzak should once again be the top scorer for his team. Jacob Holm should step up in Elohim Prandi's absence and show that he can contribute much more than the scraps he's been given. He should consistently beat Tom Pelayo in duels to find himself alone against the goalkeeper. So, while Dunkirk will give their all and fight until the end, much like the Bretons did the previous week, it won't be enough. The Parisians need to win the French championship to validate their season. They will therefore muster the remaining physical resources they have to prevail with a scoreline around 32-28.

FENIX TOULOUSE HANDBALL VS PM SARAN LOIRET HB
25/04/2024 - 8:30

Defending the man

Toulouse must be feeling some regret after their draw against Saint-Raphaël. It was still a commendable performance, but they led the score throughout the game before being caught up. Limoges is now only three points behind them. Therefore, Toulouse needs another win to secure their fourth place. There's no imminent danger, but it's looming closer. For this reason, hosting Saran should provide some relief. However, Saran must be determined. They're still the first team above relegation, following Dijon's surprise victory over Créteil. They now only have a one-point lead over Créteil and Dijon. The fight for survival will go down to the wire, and every point matters. Saran faces a challenging schedule until the end, with only the last match against Ivry potentially yielding points. They'll need to pull off some upsets. But can they do it this Thursday? It's challenging because Toulouse's attack often scores over 30 goals, while Saran has the lowest scoring average in the league, with only 28 goals per match. Toulouse's defense is also formidable and should outclass Saran. Pau Oliveras showed his potential against Nantes with his nine goals, but he's still inconsistent. Bakary Diallo, on the other hand, is regarded as one of the best defenders in the Starligue. He should once again trouble his opponents while being a formidable presence upfront. Saran's solutions will likely revolve around Mohamed Mamdouh inside. He should know how to isolate himself to find good positions under the numbers 3. He also brings a lot of mobility in defense, which helps Saran reduce the attack-defense transitions they used to undergo with Hadrien Ramond, an exclusive attacking pivot.

Therefore, Toulouse should limit Saran to fewer than 26 goals. They will win comfortably, with a scoreline around 32-26. Saran will need to find other opportunities to collect points while Toulouse solidifies their fourth place.

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