The defeat is cruel for Cavigal of Nice against Pontault (28-25). The team from the Cote d’Azur led the score for almost the entire match but were outclassed in the final moments. It was during the crunch time that they saw their first victory of the season slip away, in favor of their opponent’s third consecutive win of the night. Pontault remains undefeated in Proligue.
Little by little, Nice’s team is getting into gear. The gap with their opponents is closing more and more. Unfortunately, they were not rewarded on this fifth day. The eagles remain at the bottom of the standings, but the margin is small. A future victory against Besançon on October 30th at the Pasteur hall could help them climb up to five places. Everything is still possible for Asier Antonio’s men.
The best defensive match of the season
Despite the defeat, the red and black offered their best defensive performance of the season. It is the first time that the Cote d’Azur goalkeeper, Gretar Gudjonnson, wins his duel against the opposing goalkeeper. He made a total of 14 saves (34%), and leads the Ponto-Combault duo Romero, Gervelas by a large margin. The Cavigal’s biggest defensive sequences came at the start of the game and from the 35th to the 40th minute. At this precise moment, Nice leads (19-21) and only needs to manage their lead, but the locals had not yet said their last word.
Only two goals in the last ten minutes
Throughout the match, the team from Nice mastered their game with very good shooting efficiency (25/39 at 64%). However, the accumulation of turnovers and the lack of innovation in game management gave Pontault hope. The fortieth minute of play was the turning point of this match. The red and blacks faltered, with their shots finding the back of the net only four times.
Performances to remember
As usual in the 2020/2021 season, Jeremi Pirani was incredibly effective. He achieved a 100% shooting success rate for the second consecutive time (6 goals). As mentioned earlier, the Icelandic goalkeeper Gudjonnson played his best match of the season. Hopefully, he will continue on this path for the rest of the season. His saves could be the defensive spark that Nice Cavigal Handball is looking for.
