A match is not just a matter of a few seconds of play, but a few seconds of play are enough to turn a match around. Add to that the stakes of a derby, a tight score, two teams with international handball players, and you get not just a match but a spectacle.
This is what the Nice team offered the horde of supporters who traveled to the Palais des Sports in Toulon.
By securing a score of 23-25, Sébastien Gardillou’s girls reached the play-offs for the first time since the start of their LFH journey.
The match was expected to be tough. A very good start from Toulon, a solid red and black defense, a closely contested scoreline, and any mistake could have been costly in the first half. It seems the OGC Nice likes to keep their audience on edge, as it was only in the last two minutes of the first half (11-11 at the 28th minute) that the Nice team pulled ahead (11-14 at the 30th minute).
Upon returning from the locker room, concentration was at its peak, and we saw a complete Nice team, both in attack and defense. And it paid off on the scoreboard, with a 6-goal advantage at the 41st minute.
However, the trend reversed, with turnovers, sanctions, and Toulon Saint-Cyr scoring 6-1 in 10 minutes of play, closing in rapidly on Nice’s score.
A score of 23-23 at the 55th minute left no choice but a flawless finish. A feat by Rocha, a walk by Troelsen followed by a goal by Lacrabère, dashed Toulon’s hopes.
With qualification for the play-offs and the selection of three Nice players for the French national team (Lacrabère, Darleux, and Edwige), OGC Nice still has surprises in store for us on Wednesday, March 25 at 8:30 PM in Nîmes.
Christelle Del Peschio
