OGC Nice Côte-d’Azur Handball managed to secure a draw on the field of Plan-de-Cuques, (26-26), in the Coupe de France, this Saturday. A tight match where the women from Nice didn’t give up until the end.
After narrowly losing at home to Toulon / St-Cyr in the Coupe de France (23-27), the Gym was determined to make amends. Especially since the players from Nice, coached by Claude Mirtillo, were coming off two convincing victories in the championship against St-Amand (33-27) and Chambray (28-24). Unfortunately, fate had different plans, but the Azuriennes avoided disaster.
Close start
The women from Nice and Plan-de-Cuques neutralized each other at the start of the match. Neither team really gained the upper hand (1-2; 3-3; 5-5). Additionally, missed opportunities were compounded by numerous turnovers from both sides. The goalkeepers, Jovana Micesvka (Nice) and Cecilia Errin (Plan-de-Cuques), had to step in quickly. Of the first 18 shots each faced, six were stopped on the Plan-de-Cuques side, five were saved on the Nice side.
Despite the players’ determination, exemplified by Marie Prouvensier (Nice), who scored three goals on four attempts in the first half, the Gym hadn’t yet found their rhythm and continued to trail their opponent (8-7; 11-10; 12-11). The halftime whistle blew with a score of (13-12) in favor of the locals. OGC Nice could regret a few missed chances, but the game was still open for the next half hour.
Relief for the visitors
As they returned from the locker room, the same pattern seemed to repeat. Both teams made mistakes, inaccuracies in passing multiplied, and points were left unattended (15-14; 19-18). With the score at 20 apiece, the women from Nice still believed. Kimberley Bouchard led the way, scoring six goals on seven attempts (85% success rate). The young right-winger allowed the Gym to take the lead as the match approached its end (23-25, 25th minute).
In the last five minutes of play, it was Plan-de-Cuques who regained the lead (26-25, 28th minute). With only 90 seconds left to change the situation for Nice, victory seemed difficult to secure, but defeat could still be avoided. And that’s exactly what the Azuriennes managed to do through Djazz Chambertin, who was also outstanding during the match (nine shots, five goals). The playmaker succeeded in scoring the equalizing goal just seconds before the final whistle (26-26).
Despite a final opportunity for Plan-de-Cuques, the match ended in a draw. Claude Mirtillo’s players can be relieved that they were spared another defeat in the Coupe de France against a strong team from Plan-de-Cuques, whom they will face again in the championship at the Charles Ehrmann sports hall in Nice in four days.
