OGC Nice Handball, only 7th in the Women’s League, will host Issy Paris, 2nd, this Wednesday (8:30 pm). With five games left in the regular season, the Nice team needs points to climb up the rankings and still hope for the playoffs (top 6).
A cyclical team. Capable of the best against the top teams with two draws at Metz (23-23) and Fleury-Loiret (19-19), but also the worst with a home defeat against Le Havre (27-30). OGC Nice Handball, with its talented roster (Darleux, Rocha, Lacrabère, Chavez), is stagnating mid-table but remains very much in the race for the playoffs. With only five matches to go, Nice is in seventh place, with one game in hand. While the top four spots seem settled, five teams, including Nice, are expected to fight for the last two spots.
The good performances against the top teams in this Women’s League are thanks to the return of international goalkeeper Cléopâtre Darleux. The Icelandic international, Karen Knutsdottir, is also returning to form at the right time, scoring 5 goals at Metz and 4 at Fleury-Loiret. Without a victory in front of their supporters since early November (31-26 against Nîmes), the Nice team needs a standout match before entering the final stretch.
However, their opponents, the Parisians, are in great shape. Second in the standings behind Fleury-Loiret, the Issy-Paris team is on a streak of six consecutive victories, including a significant win against Metz (27-24). The Lionesses rely on a quality collective with the Oftedal sisters (Stine and Hanna), French international Angélique Spincer, and Montenegrin Marija Jovanovic.
Photo credit and more information at www.ogcnicehandball.com
