This 16th day of the Ligue Butagaz Énergie was an opportunity for the OGC Nice handball players to test themselves against a leading team in the championship, Brest.
Two weeks after their draw at home against the Alsatians of Achenheim, the Nice team was back at their Halle des Sports Charles Ehrmann. Facing Brest, who had lost only one match this season in the championship, the challenge was significant.
This was evident from the start of the match. The Bretons dictated the pace of the game and quickly gained the upper hand. With a +4 advantage in the first ten minutes, the stage was set. The Eagles tightened their defense and forced the Brest players into making mistakes. After two two-minute penalties for the visitors, Nice got back into the game. Wendy Semedo Monteiro even gave the Maralpines the lead again for a few moments (11-10 at the 19th minute).
Against the Brest arsenal, hope was ultimately short-lived. Pauletta Foppa and Anna Vyakhireva enabled their teammates to regain a two-goal lead. The gap continued to widen relentlessly. Despite a good first period from Marie-Hélène Sajka (4 goals), the Nice team was powerless. At the break, the Eagles were logically trailing (13-19).
A burst of energy at the start of the second half
Upon returning from the locker room, Sébastien Mizoule’s players once again took advantage of a numerical superiority. Méline Nocandy, penalized for the second time, received a red card. This was enough to reinvigorate the match. Raissa Dapina sprung into action and brought her teammates to within three goals. Riding on a positive wave, the Nice players managed to destabilize the opposing defense. Adriana Holejova scored four times in five minutes (23-24). At that moment, anything seemed possible. That was without considering the talent of Clarisse Mairot. She dashed the last hopes of the Azureans in just a few minutes. As a result, the gap grew inexorably.
OGC Nice handball ultimately fell (29-38) but retained their fourth place in the championship. Their ranking could change depending on the result of Chambray, who has a postponed match to play. The next fixture for the Nice team is next Friday in Mérignac (13th). A win is imperative to stay in the race for European spots.
