Six games have been played in the French championships this week.
Marseille earned two valuable away wins in rescheduled matches and strengthened the top position.
Two exhilarating games were played in the regular 13th round. Noisy-le-Sec beat Douai narrowly, while Nice won a point against Montpellier thanks to a last-gasp goal.
2021/22 French League
Rescheduled matches
Noisy-le-Sec – Marseille 10:15 (2:5, 3:5, 2:1, 3:4)
Cercle 93 Noisy-le-Sec : Petkovic 5, Bjorch 1, Do Carmo 1, Peisson 1, Marzouki 1, Krapic 1.
Marseille : Crousillat 4, Bouet 3, Izdinsky 2, Cuckovic 1, Prlainovic 1, Vernoux 1, Marion-Vernoux 1, Bodegas 1.
Tourcoing – Marseille 12:18 (3:3, 2:5, 2:3, 5:7)
Tourcoing : Rocchietta 3, Canonne 3, Randjic 2, Kujacic 2, Gagulic 1, Krisman 1.
Marseille : , Bodegas 3, Lena 3, Crousillat 2, Vernoux 2, Bouet 2, Marion-Vernoux 2, Spaic 1, Prlainovic 1, Kovacevic 1, Izdinsky 1.
Round 13
Nice – Montpellier 11:11 (1:2, 1:1, 4:6, 5:2)
Nice: Stevenson 4, Butic 3, De Nardi 3, Cutovic 1
Montpellier: Ivankovic 4, D.Zivkovic 2, Piot 1, Deas 1, Mustur 1, Alfonso Pozo 1, Kalinic 1.
Sete – Tourcoing 9:13 (4:3, 0:3, 1:3, 4:4)
Sete:Lopinot 2, Jovanovic 2, , Sauton 2, Deviais 1, Furman 1, Aquila 1.
Tourcoing: Rocchietta 4, Randjic 2, Gagulic 2, Krisman 2, Avena 1,Canonne 1, Kujacic 1
Noisy-le-Sec – Douai 11:10 (1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 3:4)
Cercle 93 Noisy-le-Sec: Marzouki 4, Peisson 2, Petkovic 2, Krapic 1, Bjorch 1, Do Carmo 1.
Douai: Beteille 3, Lepoint 2, Michel 2, Vitrant 1, Gorria 1
Strasbourg – Reims 14:7 (5:0, 2:3, 3:2, 4:2)
Strasbourg: Vix 3, Chion 2, , Mazmaniani 2, Bachelier 1, Cesca 1, Missy 1, Babic 1,Buha 1, Misic 1, Canonvas 1.
Reims:De Bie 2, Budjen 2, Pesteric 1, Jakhaia 1, Signoret 1.
Marseille – Pays d’Aix on March 23
Two rescheduled derbies opened the water polo week in France. Marseille recorded two away wins in two days.
On Wednesday, the reigning champion faced Noisy-le-Sec in a replay of the French Cup final. The game lacked excitement. Marseille won the first quarter – 5:2 and opened the second period with a 5:0 rush. The visitors had a 10:2 lead in the 14th minute, and it was clear that Noisy couldn’t come back.
A day after, Tourcoing hosted Marseille. The home side kept up with the reigning champion in the first quarter (3:3), but Marseille built a 3-goal lead in the second period. In the second half, the visitors increased the margin to six (18:12).
Yesterday, four games of the 13th round were played.
Strasbourg, which holds 2nd place, defeated Reims easily – 14:7. The first quarter (5:0) determined the rest of the encounter.
Noisy defeated Douai harder than expected. The Parisians dictated the pace for most of the time. In the middle of the third quarter, they earned a 7:4 advantage. Still, Douai took control and turned around a 3-goal deficit to a 9:8 lead (26th minute) and the match entered the thrilling finish. Noisy responded with three goals and went in front again (11:9). Douai reduced the gap to 10:11with 54 seconds remaining on the clock and had the last attack in the match. Still, Noisy’s goalkeeper Stefan Zivojinovic saved a shot from Michael and saved all three points for the Parisians.
A very exciting game was played in Nice. Two minutes before the end of the third quarter, Montpellier, the visiting team in this match, had an 8:4 lead. But, Nice started coming back step by step. Montpellier entered the final minute with a 2-goal advantage (11:9). Still, the hosts earned a point with two goals in the last 25 seconds. Butic scored an equalizer (11:11) with just four seconds to go.
Tourcoing beat bottom-placed Sete and caught up with Montpellier in points. Each club has won 22 points.
1.Marseille 12 – 36
2.Strasbourg 13 – 31
3.Noisy-le-Sec 13 – 28
4. Tourcoing 13 – 22
5. Montpellier 13 – 22
6. Pays d’Aix 12 – 18
7. Douai 13 – 12
8. Nice 13 – 10
9. Reims 13 – 7
10. Sete 13 – 6
