Handball: Frontignan a hair's breadth away from the French Cup feat

Jules Lignères and his team came up against a wall at the end of the match. MIDI LIBRE – Jérôme Belluire

The FTHB led by four goals with five minutes to go, this Tuesday, September 3, before losing to Istres (33-34).

For their first official match of the season, Guillaume Crépain's men almost pulled off a feat in the Coupe de France, against an Istres team that plays in Starligue.

In the Ferrari stands, we may have even thought that the job was done when they were leading by four goals with five minutes to go. Camara had been extraordinary, taking his entire team along in his wake. But when the scoreboard read 33-29, the machine stalled. Istres closed ranks, Deekens took over from a very good Mathias in goal, and the attack turned the Muscat heads.

With a 0-5 to wrap things up, and five different scorers, Istres put a damper on Ferrari. But the potential of the new FTHB is there.

The technical sheet

Frontignan…………33
Istres…………………34

Ferrari Gymnasium
Half-time: 16-17

Frontignan: Diot (7 saves on 41 shots, including 1/5 pen). Camara (13 goals on 15 shots, including 3/3 pen), Milan (1/2), Isnard (2/3), Leon (1/1), Magro (4/5), Laurens (1/3), Tesio (2/6), Gaillard (4/5), Delrive (1/1), Lignères (4/6).

Istres : Mathias (11 saves on 42 shots, including 1/3 pen), Deekens (2/4). Bono (6 goals on 7 shots, including 4/4 pen), Carabasse (2/3), Araujo (1/2), Petersen (2/4), Gensoulin (4/4), Kötters (4/8), Bortoli (2/5), Joseph (1/1), Langlais (1/1), Borges (9/10), Boic (1/2), Folques (1/1).