Marseille confirmed its 40th title as the French champion with three wins at the last of the three playoffs tournament.
The tournament was held in Marseille. The hosts had already secured 1st place and defended the title before the games in the home pool (they did it after the tournament in Paris), but the remaining three teams in the playoffs were contenders for 2nd place.
In the end, Noisy-le-Sec finished in 2nd place, just like in the seasons 2021 and 2022. Tourcoing won bronze for the second year in a row, while Strasbourg finished in 4th place
Noisy and Tourcoing secured themselves places in the Champions League qualifications. Strasbourg will play in the LEN Euro Cup.
The 5th-place playoffs have been over, too. Pays d’Aix finished in 5th position.
2022/23 French League, playoffs, Tournament 3 (Marseille)
Day 1
Noisy-le-Sec – Tourcoing 8:12 (3:5, 1:2, 2:3, 2:2)
Noisy-le-Sec (Cercle 93): A. Petkovic 2, Bowen 2, Saudadier 1, Bjorch 1, Do Carmo 1, Caumette 1.
Tourcoing : Kujacic 4, Draskovic, M.Brguljan 2, D.Zivkovic 1, Marzouki 1, Canonne 1,
Marseille – Strasbourg 15:5 (4:0, 4:0, 3:3, 4:2)
Marseille: Vernoux 3, Spainc 2, Olivon 2, Izdinsky 2, Bouet 2, Crousillat 1, Prlainovic 1, Lena 1, Mas 1.
Strasbourg: Ad Mehdi 2, Canovas 1, Ar.Mehdi 1.
The tournament was unimportant to the hosts in terms of the results, but they played all matches like they were crucial. The new-old champion ran over Strasbourg in the first round. Marseille earned an 11:0 lead before Strasbourg scored its first goal.
Marseille All photos by Phillipe Fretault/WP Inside
But, the other match of Day 1 was very significant. Before the tournament in Marseille, Noisy had eight, Strasbourg six and Tourcoing four points.
Tourcoing defeated Noisy and entered the race for 2nd place. The Parisians started well. Noisy opened the match with a 2:0, scoring two goals in the first 60 seconds. But, Tourcoing replied with four in three minutes. The Lille-based side went to 4:2; from then on was always ahead. At the middle break, Tourcoing led 7:4. In the third quarter, it stretched the margin to five (10:5), which determined the rest of the match.
Day 2
Marseille ¬- Tourcoing 18:6 (5:3, 4:1, 4:0, 5:2)
Marseille: Vukicevic 5, Bouet 4, Daube 3, Crousillat 1, Vernoux 1, Izdinsky 1, Marion-Vernoux 1, Bodegas 1, De Nardi 1.
Tourcoing: Canonne 2, Dasic 1, Draskovic 1, Cutovic 1, Crosetti 1
Noisy-le-Sec – Strasbourg 11:7 (2:4, 4:1, 1:2, 4:0)
Noisy-le-Sec (Cercle 93): A. Petkovic 4, Gogov 2, Bowen 2, Bjorch 1.
Strasbourg : M.Petkovic 3, I.Zivkovic 2, Buha 1, Misic 1.
Noisy-le-Sec defeated Strasbourg on Day 2 and cemented 2nd place. The first three periods produced a lot of twists and turns. At the first break, Strasbourg was two steps ahead of the Parisians (4:2).
Noisy opened the second half with three goals to go in front (5:4). Strasbourg’s Ivan Zivkovic leveled at 5:5 in the 16th minute. Still, Antonio Petkovic, the best scorer of the match, closed the first half with a goal from a penalty shot eight seconds before the buzzer, and Noisy entered the third period with a 6:5 lead. Strasbourg retook control in the third period. Marko Petkovic and Ivan Zivkovic gave the team in the blue caps a 7:6 advantage. Strasbourg scored its seventh goal in the 22nd minute. After that, Noisy ruled the field. The Parisians produced a 5:0 run, recorded an 11:7 victory and secured 2nd place.
Noisy-le-Sec (Cercle 93)
Marseille beat Tourcoing in a one-sided contest.
Day 3
Tourcoing – Strasbourg 8:7 (2:1, 1:2, 2:2, 3:2)
Tourcoing: Dasic 3, Marzouki 3, D.Zivkovic 1, Draskovic 1
Strasbourg: Canovas 2, M.Petkovic 2, Popadic 1, Denux 1, I.Zivkovic 1.
Marseille – Noisy 15:10 (4:2, 4:3, 5:2, 2:3)
Marseille: Prlainovic 4, Bouet 3, Olivon 2, Vukicevic 2, Cuckovic 1, Izdinsky 1, Marion-Vernoux 1, Vanpeperstraete 1.
Noisy-le-Sec:Bjorch 3, Gogov 3, Do carmo 1, A.Petkovic 1, Bowen 1, Guerin 1.
The big match of the last day was the encounter between Tourcoing and Strasbourg. The ticket for the Champions League qualification was at stake.
Tourcoing started better and earned a 3:1 lead in the middle of the second quarter. However, after that, Strasbourg kept Tourcoing goalless for nine minutes while netting three goals for a big turn (4:3). Draskovic leveled at 4:4. In the last minute, the teams exchanged the goals and entered the final period tied at 5:5. In the first two minutes of the final quarter, Tourcoing killed Strasbourg’s two man-ups and scored two action goals, which was the turning point. Tourcoing regained a 2-goal advantage (7:5) and controlled the result until the end. Strasbourg cut the gap to one twice (6:7 in the 28th and 7:8 in the 31st minute), but failed to equalize, and Tourcoing won 3rd place.
Tourcoing
Marseille and Noisy played a “friendly match”. Neither of the teams had something to lose or get in this duel. Marseille dictated the pace throughout the game. The hosts scored the first three goals in the match. Noisy came close in the second quarter (3:4, 4:5, 5:6) but Marseille stretched the margin to a comfortable six goals before the final period (13:7) and started preparing for the celebration of a new title.
1.Marseille 9 – 24
2.Noisy-le-Sec 9 – 11
3. Tourcoing 9 – 6
4. Strasbourg 9 – 4
5th-place playoffs (best of two)
Pays d’Aix – Sete 14:11 (3:1, 4:3, 5:2, 2:5)
Pays d’Aix: Khasz 5, Peisson 2, Bakircilar 2, Rocchietta 2, Vrdoljak 2, T.Beteille 1.
Sete: Furman 5, Bofill 2, Debiais 1, Tomic 1, Vujovic 1, Randjic 1
Sete – Pays d’Aix 14:18 (4:4, 5:6, 2:3, 3:5)
Sete: Randjic 6, Tomic 4, Vujovic 2, Lepinot 1, Chandieu 1,
Pays d’Aix: Rocchietta 4, Dunstan 3, Drahe 3, Khasz 2, Peisson 2, T.Beteille 2, L. Beteille 1, Vrdoljak 1.
Pays d’Aix won 5th place, beating Sete in both games of the playoffs.
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