Three days after launching its season against Nantes, Strasbourg ATH travels to Toulon this Saturday (8 p.m.) to play a different type of match there with a likely direct opponent in the race to stay in D1.
By Christine ANDRÉ – Yesterday at 10:08
In a few days, the SATH players will have an interesting glimpse of what their first season in the top flight will be like. Like almost all championships, that of D1 will offer different levels of play.
“It teaches us what the D1 is”
This Wednesday against Nantes, it was a golden, spangled, enchanted opening. “It was a great evening, expresses Sarah Muller, 5/5 in shooting at her pivot position. Everything went a little too fast during the first twenty minutes, we got a little wet. But we were able to react and there are plenty of positives. I’m not too worried about our attacking game, but we still have to work harder on defence. »
The “Piraths”, facing one of the three best teams in the championship, managed to score 34 goals, but indeed conceded a little too much (41). “Nantes is very strong. It’s weird to play against all these internationals. I am a fan of Anna Lagerquist, it was good to be able to share the same ground. This teaches us what the D1 is. »
This first match had been expected for an eternity, it was particularly invested, now, SATH players will be able to fully dive into their season.
“It’s good that this match passed, it showed us the physical dimension of the D1, the force of the impacts. Now, I hope we will produce the same type of performance in Toulon by maintaining our offensive strength, but by tightening the defense. We will have to give ourselves without counting to try to seek a first victory. »
“The most important game of our week”
Toulon, 12th in D1 last season, lost to Brest (31-23) in Wednesday’s opening match. “Toulon is the most important match of our week, abounds coach Jan Basny. It’s a team that could be within our reach, it may be a direct opponent in the fight to maintain. And any point taken against these opponents will have the value of gold. »
A few days after having met a team as prestigious as it is inaccessible, the promoted will have to change his state of mind to display a confident, demanding, conquering face.
“We will have to have recovered well and be able to prepare quickly but calmly for this second match in a few days. It can be very important for the future, even more if we have a positive result there. »
Last season, ATH achieved the feat of beating Toulon (28-25) in the second round of the Coupe de France. It is necessarily an interesting sign even if its workforce has changed with, for example, the arrival of left-back Marjorie Demunck who made a brief stint in Alsace in 2020.
Saturday evening, by the sea, the “Piraths” will try to hoist the mainsail…
#HandballWomens #Division #Hoist #mainsail
