For this postponed 8th matchday in Proligue, Cavigal Nice Handball traveled to the field of Sarrebourg, the bottom team of the championship. The match ended in a draw, 27-27, with Nice experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions.
After their significant home victory against Sélestat (34-23), Cavigal Nice Handball was filled with confidence for this match against Sarrebourg, the last in the Proligue standings. However, after a well-controlled first half, the Niçois conceded a last goal, depriving them of the two points for a win.
Romain Quatrevaux in place of Gudjonsson
For this match against the bottom team, Asier Antonio decided to rotate his squad and place Romain Quatrevaux in the position of their iconic goalkeeper, Gretar Gudjonsson. In the first half, Sarrebourg created a few chances but failed to capitalize on them. On the other hand, Cavigal was more realistic and aggressive (8-10; 9-13; 11-14). Out of 20 shots, the locals converted 11. The visitors scored 14 goals from 27 attempts.
At halftime, the score was 11-14 in favor of Axel Oppedisano and his teammates. The two goalkeepers, Panjan (Sarrebourg) and Quatrevaux (Nice), made seven and five crucial saves respectively during the first thirty minutes, achieving a 33% success rate with all the shots.
The only downside might be the three two-minute suspensions inflicted on Cavigal Nice Handball players. Asier Antonio’s men must mitigate the damage in the second half.
Sarrebourg on the rise
While the first thirty minutes were entirely controlled by the Niçois, the next thirty would be different. A slight relaxation was felt among Les Aiglons, who conceded significantly at the start of the second period. They even found themselves trailing on the scoreboard (21-18; 24-22). However, the Azuréens did not give up and tried to regain control of the match. Thanks to the efforts of Axel Oppedisano, Alexis Bon, and Manuel Crivelli, Nice drew level with Sarrebourg (24-24). With a penalty, captain Oppedisano put his team back in the lead (24-25). The end of the match promised to be tight.
Sarrebourg was reduced to six players after Aurélien Padolus’s two-minute suspension (58th). It was an opportunity for Nice to leverage their numerical advantage. At 26-27, only 19 seconds remained to play. Cavigal did everything possible to maintain their lead and secure the two points.
But it was not taking into account Domen Pogacnik (Sarrebourg), who, at the end of a well-executed collective move, extinguished the hopes of victory for the Niçois (27-27). A cruel disappointment for Nice, who had high hopes for this match.
Cavigal left the Pierre de Coubertin sports center with only one point and some doubts in their minds. These will need to be dispelled during the next trip to Massy, next Saturday.
