French Handball Cup: Montpellier misses the mark in the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain

Diego Simonet et son énergie n'ont pas suffi à dompter les Parisiens. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

Montpellier Handball lost in the semi-final of the Coupe de France against a diminished Paris (32-35), at the Sud de France Arena, this Wednesday March 20.

The match

MONTPELLIER: 32
PARIS: 35

Sud de France Arena.

Half time: 18-19.

Referees: S. Bounouara and
S. Pichon.

Spectators: approximately 7,000.

MONTPELLIER: Bolzinger (26%, 6 saves on 23 shots including 0/3 on penalties), Desbonnet (18%, 4/20 dt 0/2 pen.). Karlsson (0 goals on 2 shots dt 0/1 pen.), Simonet (5/5), Pellas (3/5 dt 2/3 pen.), Fernandez (3/5 dt 1/2 pen.), Panic (1/1), A. Lenne (1/2), Skube (7/8), Konan (1/1), Cornette, Guigon, Monte (4/6), (cap.) Porte (1/3), Y. Lenne (5/7), Nacinovic (1/1).

Two minutes at: Simonet (50th)

PSG: Villain, Palicka (16%, 4 saves on 26 shots including 2/4 on penalties), Green (25%, 2 /8 dt 0/1 pen.). Narcisse, Mendy (0/3), Peleka, Marchan (2/2), Steins (4/5), Ntanzi (4/6), Keita, Balaguer (7/8 dt 2/2 pen.), (cap. ) Grébille (5/6), Syprzak (5/7 dt 1/1 pen.), Gibelin, Holm (6/9), Plantin (2/2 pen.).

Two minutes at: Peleka (3rd), Balaguer (9th), Marchan (26th), Grébille (46th), Syprzak (59th) .

Nikola Karabatic will therefore no longer play in Montpellier. Forfeited during the international week, the greatest handball player in history was still absent, Wednesday evening, at the Sud de France Arena to challenge MHB in the semi-final of the Coupe de France. Blame it on painful neck pain.

Except for an improbable reunion during the Final 4 of the Champions League, he will not meet his former club again before retiring this summer. Sad ending.

60' : Privés de nombreux joueurs, les 🔴🔵 réussissent une superbe prestation à Montpellier et se qualifient pour la finale de la #CDF ! #Handball #Paris #PSG #PSGHand #Sport #FFHB #CDF #Montpellier #MHBPSG pic.twitter.com/L3ljzzibyP

— PSG Handball (@psghand) March 20, 2024

The Parisians would undoubtedly have preferred to have it in their luggage. And with him Luka, his brother, Kent Robin Tønnesen, Ferran Solé and Elohim Prandi, all stayed in the capital to receive treatment. But those who are absent are not always wrong, we must believe… hellip; Because despite this massacre, it is PSG who will play the final, on April 20 at the Accor Arena. It will be against Toulouse or Nantes who face each other this Wednesday (kick-off at 8:30 p.m.).

Skube, Simonet and Lenne in vain

"From now on, all matches are decisive. Either you qualify or you clear!" The equation stated by Patrice Canayer before the match was simple but his players did not find the solution . Or at too irregular intervals, a stray bullet often following a burst of brilliance.

As he also predicted a little earlier in the week, the Hérault technician, who would like to leave the stage with a new trophy, was able to count on a few experienced boys to push this PSG in its entrenchments.

Stas Skube did what is expected of a playmaker: finding solutions in all circumstances, passing or pushing hard on his legs towards the goal.

Also read: French Cup. "We have to take this match with the desire to have a title", demands Diego Simonet before MHB – PSG in the semi-final

Diego Simonet, who entered twice to pick up the pieces, often clarified the situation with a devastating blow.

We must also pay tribute to Yanis Lenne's performance. On his wing he soared. A shot to the right, a shot to the left, at the near post, above the head: the whole range of shots went there.

Add the four or five saves from Charles Bolzinger essential to this level of competition and you had the outline of a success and an 18th Coupe de France final.

That was without counting the air gaps of the 20 years of the Brazilian Monte, the failures of the Swede Karlsson, so attractive at the start of the season, and these 7 m jets sent on the bar.

That was without counting the Parisians deprived of some of their best players but never overwhelmed by events.

In front of his TV, Nikola Karabatic must have appreciated it.