Reigning French champion couldn’t manage to control the last minutes of a match they started winning with absolute authority against FTC Rail Cargo Hungaria.
Spanish players Alexandrina Cabral (Fleury) and Nerea Pena (FTC) were the main scorers of the match.
The Palais des Sports of the city of Orleans was well prepared to witness the first Champions League match of the season. The scenario was ideal to bring the first victory by the local team, which was supported by 2,300 spectators in the stands of an almost crowded stadium. However, the match was expected to be a very equalized fight, and despite the initial difference set by French team on the scoreboard, the Hungarians reacted on time and came back on the battle.
Fleury just needed 10 minutes to set an overwhelming score (8:1) thanks to an effective play in attack and the great performance of Darly Zoqbi in the goal line. However, Ferencváros reacted and sorted out how to stop the French hurricane, and avoided a higher difference in the scoreboard.
Fleury would remain scoreless for five minutes after Cabral set the 12:5 on the scoreboard, and FTC took advantage of it and shortened the gap. Spanish coloured team from Fleury with Fernandez, Cabral, Lopez, Chavez and Zoqbi on the court was trying to end with those negative minutes and finally, almost two minutes before the break Fernández scored to set a 4 goal difference once again. But it wouldn’t be enough for the French team because Ferencváros, whose main weapons were Pena and Szucsanszki, wouldn’t give up. The Spanish who plays for the Hungarian team scored the 10th goal and while there could have been another goal for FTC, was Cabral the one who scored for the French with an amazing lob. Before both teams went to the locker rooms, there was still time to another brilliant goal by Hornyak, just before the end of the first half.
Niombla started the second half with a goal for her team, but strengths would be more equalized in this half. Szamoransky scored from the six meter line twice in a row and although Nze Minko followed Niombla and Cabral in Fleury’s attack, Hungarians set the minimum difference in the scoreboard 19 minutes before the final whistle.
Fleury never lost the lead, in fact they continued to extend it thanks to an outstanding Cabral performance and Zoqbi’s efficiency in the goal line, but Ferencváros continued fighting until the very end.
It seemed that final minutes for Fleury would not be as thrilling as they were in the last match against Thüringer, as this time they were winning by a 2 goal difference with one minute left on the clock. But this is handball and everything can happen in a minute. The French champion didn’t manage their ball possession so well, and Hungarians leaded by Nerea Pena took advantage of these misses.
With 28:27 in the scoreboard and 40 seconds left before the end of the match, Fleury missed the opportunity to set the 29th goal and the whole stadium went silent when Cifra, who was playing as the seventh player after the timeout of the Hungarians, converted for Ferencváros and set the final draw from the 6-meter line, in the last second.
Fleury Loiret Handball: Zoqbi (21 saves), Foggea; Miño, Fernández (1), Agathé (), Kamdop (3), Tounkara (1), Houette (5), Chavez, Lopez, Doucoure, Nze Minko (3), Niombla (4), Cisse, Ngo Leyi, Cabral (11)
FTC Rail Cargo Hungaria: Szikora, Hlogyik; Szollosi-Zacsik (3), Cifra (1), Szarka (1), Schatzl (1), Szucsanszki (1), Szekeres (1), Szikora, Meszaros, Kovacsicz (2), Lukacs (4), Pena (5), Hafra, Hornyak (1), Szekerczes (4), Pappne Szamoransky (4)
TEXT: Nagore Odriozola Juaristi
