For this 9th day of Pool 4 of the National 1 championship, Cavigal handball resisted the comeback of Billère Pau. A match in which the captain Alexis Bon shone.
A suspense-filled match. That’s what the spectators at the Pasteur gymnasium witnessed tonight. Facing the third team in the championship, Cavigal had a tough challenge. If at the beginning of the match both teams were quite timid, Kristian Vassilev ignited the game. Scoring three goals in one minute, he allowed Cavigal to take the lead. Following two saves by Eden Speno, the Azuréens were able to gain a +2 advantage. Then +4 thanks to Nils Jean-Zephirin (six goals). An advantage that the Maralpins maintained until halftime (17-13).
From then on, the rest of the game was more manageable unlike the matches against Grenoble or MHB. Especially as their captain returned, the Niçois seemed reinvigorated. Scoring eight goals, Alexis Bon showed the way to his teammates, particularly in difficult moments.
The Palois Come Back Into the Match
Because even if Cavigal had a five-unit lead, the Palois came back into the game. Led by Ilan Lagarde (nine goals), the Basques caught up. Kristian Vassilev and Carlos Garcia were penalized for two minutes. An opportunity seized by the visitors to cling onto the score, even taking the lead seven minutes before the end.
A fierce duel then ensued. With 40 seconds left, Léopold Picard (Pau), the match’s top scorer with nine goals, missed the target. Following this, Eden Speno (7 saves), starting in the absence of Maxime Aicardi, made the decisive save. The Niçois had the match ball. After a final timeout by Cyril Parmentelot, Alexis, as a good captain, took his chance at the last second… and scored!
Final score (31-30) for Cavigal handball, at the end of an emotional match for the reds and blacks. This hard-fought success allows Niçois to move ahead of Billère Pau and return to the Top 6 in the standings.
The next game is on December 7 at 7 PM against Pau Nousty this time away.
