Hugo Brouzet, Chambery
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Two shocks this evening, where Chambéry carried out an excellent operation by dominating a Toulouse not at its best (31-29), while Saint Raphaël was scuttled in the money time against Istres (31-31).
After having dominated St Raphaël in the French Cup, the Phoenix Toulouse was going to the Lighthouse to face Chambery, in an oh so important duel with a view to Europe. The Savoyards, who shone less in the cup, are determined to win to get closer to their opponent of the day. In case of defeat, they would be 5 points behind while a victory would completely restart the race for 5th place.
The Toulouse defense gradually lets go
During the first quarter of an hour, the two formations will go one after the other, although success in shooting is not always there. Danijel Andjelkovic’s men can, however, count on a Gonçalo Vieira more than skilful with 4 goals in the first quarter of an hour (6-6, 16′). But around the 20th, the exclusion of Matthieu Marmier will give a golden opportunity to allow the locals to take a lead, and Alexandre Tritta does not hesitate to register the +3 on a superb roucoulette (11-8, 24′).
Gonçalo Martins Vieira, Toulouse (credits: additional_time_photography)
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The dead time of the Occitans launch a game at 7 in attack. The Toulouse offensives are picking up a bit but the Chambériens are playing the game perfectly by overtaking their opponents on the ball and the score swells. And after an interception of Benjamin Richert who scores in the empty cage, Andjelkovic is forced to call back his team once again (16-10, 27′). Gap which remains however at the break (17-11, 30′).
Chambéry leaves nothing to chance
When the locker rooms return, the two teams will again play evenly for long minutes. And despite Toulouse’s resistance, which fell to -4 on several occasions, the Yellow & Blacks always managed to quickly plant 2 goals to regain their lead. With less than a quarter of an hour to go, Fénix’s last time out didn’t help matters and, despite the direct red card to Gustavo Rodriguez, Nikola Portner is imperial and Chambéry flies away (26-18, 48′). The match is definitely folded despite the courage of the visitors, and the Savoyards thus return to 1 point from their opponent of the day, and with the particularly favorable goal average (31-29). Tonight, we will remember the superb match ofHugo Brouzet on both sides of the field, with a good defensive activity at post 3 and no waste in the shoot on his 6 shots. And if the smiles are on all the faces of Chambéry, who finally find victory in 2022, the atmosphere is quite different among the people of Toulouse: “Coming out of the match, I don’t really have the impression that Chambéry was better, I especially have the impression that Toulouse was bad“, delivers a Pierrick Chelle bitter after a painful defeat. Because for Toulouse, the end of the season will be very long with matches almost exclusively against direct opponents.
Nikola Portner, Chambery
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St Raph trapped in money time
At home against Istresfirst relegation, Saint Raphael had a complicated evening. In the lead for most of the match, with Raphaël Caucheteux and Johannes Marescot perfect in attack (9 goals each), we think that the hardest part is done as money time approaches (27-22, 47′). However, in the last minutes, Andrea Guillaume and the pivots Andrea Parisini and Edgar Dentz will be perfectly found and feast in attack. And with a Arnaud Tabarand precious in money time (15 saves at 36%), Gilles Derot’s men made an unthinkable comeback (29-31, 57′). In the last moments, Raphael Caucheteux manages to plant two goals to save the furniture (31-31). The formation of Dan Rares Fortuneanu can also thank its goalkeeper Mihai Popescu, author of no less than 4 saves in the last 3 minutes (16 saves at 35%). With this draw, Istres takes its first point since mid-December, and is only one point from the first relegation: Saran. Training that the Violets will receive in two short weeks …
Antoine Piollat
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