PSG is off to a good start. Very good, even. At half-time of the quarter-final of the Champions League, the capital club took a real option against Kiel. On German soil, the France champion won by four goals (27-31) after an indecisive game from start to finish. Next Wednesday, after the return to Coubertin, we will know if he will play a new Final Four on June 17. He has one hour left to make a difference.
60': It's over! Paris succeeds in a great operation by imposing itself in Kiel! See you next Wednesday for this 1/4 return from @ehfcl to #Coubertin! #KIELPSG pic.twitter.com/4pl43cYmv1
— PSG Handball (@psghand) May 10, 2023
What to remember
For the third time in a row, the two teams meet in the quarterfinals. Two years ago, PSG pocketed its ticket to the Final Four. Last year, Luka Karabatic and his teammates did not have the same success, losing by only one goal in the aggregate of the two games.
We expected a tight game. It was mostly tactical during the first thirty minutes, with two very effective defenses. Still deprived of Nikola Karabatic, the Parisians immediately responded to the good start of the "Kielers", motivated by a room acquired to their cause (2-2, 4th). Norwegian Sander Sagosen remembers PSG, the club where he spent three seasons (8-7, 20th), but Ferran Solé has repartee (8-10, 25th). PSG returns to the locker room with a head start (12-13). Kamil Syprzak (82 goals) and Elohim Prandi (70), PSG's two best directors this season in the Champions League, are rather discreet with only two goals on the clock.
Well helped by Latvian Dainis Kristopans, Sole increased the Parisian lead (16-18, 41st). Kiel is back in the score (19-19, 44th) and everything is to be done again for Luc Steins and his partners. The players of the capital regain their senses and two lengths ahead (22-24, 50th). The Latvian giant is on all the balls and is even taken out prematurely (56th), but PSG retains control of the game, with a Prandi found (6 goals), while Mathieu Grébille finishes the job. How effective!
The player: Jannick Green
Holder in the Parisian cages, Jannick Green released a performance worthy of such an appointment. The Danish international first made 8 of the 19 German attempts before the break, responding to Niklas Landin, the other goalkeeper for the world champions (7 saves). The fact that he played for eight seasons in Magdeburg, Kiel's main opponent in the Bundesliga, probably has something to do with it. Less productive after the break, he nevertheless contributed to the progress of his own by scoring his goal.
The number: 2
This is only the second time PSG have overcome their best enemy in the Champions League since 2017. The previous victory of the players of the capital dated from May 19, 2021 (34-28), and was drawn in the second half. The rest had unfortunately not smiled on Raul Gonzalez's men, who had failed against the Danes of Aalborg in the semi-finals of the Final Four, while Nantes had also remained docked against the great Barça.
