A match in Douai, a city located in the far north of France, was the highlight of the sixth round of the French League. Douai produced a surprise and beat 4th-placed Pays d’Aix 15:9.
The other favorites Marseille, Strasbourg, and Tourcoing recorded convincing wins. The game Noisy-le-Sec – Montpellier has been postponed. During the lockdown in France, Montpellier residents aren’t allowed to travel to Paris.
2020/21 French League, Day 6
Douai – Pays d’Aix 15:9 (2:3, 4:2, 4:2, 5:2)
Douai: Vitrant 7, Balaz 4, Begovic 1, Lepoint 1, Degaille 1.
Pays d’Aix: Dino 2, Khasz 2, Gagulic 2, Gluhaic 1, Saux 1, Popadic 1.
Marseille – Bordeaux 16:3 (3:1, 3:1, 5:1, 5:0)
Marseille: Vukicevic 3, Crousillat 3, Marion-Vernoux 2, Vernoux 2, Izdinsky 2, Olivon 1, Djurdjic 1, Vanpeperstraete 1, Galli 1.
Bordeaux:Lincheneau 1, Gadza 1, Knezevic 1.
Tourcoing – Reims 15:6 (3:0, 5:1, 3:3, 4:2)
Tourcoing: Grgurevic 5, Kujacic 3, Rocchietta 2, Canonne 2, Krisman 2, Randjic 1, Coupleux 1.
Reims: Vix 3, Calic 2, Kovacic 1.
Strasbourg – Nice 17:5 (3:1, 4:1,3:1, 7:2)
Strasbourg: Markovic 6, Buha 3, Valentino 3, Chion 1, Culina 1, Cesca 1, Misic 1, Budjen 1.
Nice: Colak 2, Butic 2, Mutambayi 1,
Noisy-le-Sec – Montpellier postponed
Sete bye
Pays d’Aix was far from its best in the last match before the Champions League Qualifications in Sicily (November 11 – 15). The team from Aix-en-Provence was the favorite in the game played in a small pool (25×12,5 m) in Douai. The favorites opened the match as expected. Pays d’Aix earned an early 3:0 lead. But, then Douai started climbing back. The hosts produced a 5:0 series for a 5:3 lead midway through the second period.
Pays d’Aix cut the deficit twice (4:5 and 5:6). However, Douai built a 10:5 advantage in the middle of the third period. Pays d’Aix recovered from a new shock and came back once again. The visitors reduced the gap to one (9:10) with 04:27 minutes to go. But, Pays d’Aix ran out of gas after that. The hosts scored five goals in the last four minutes for a 15:9 victory. Douai’s Steven Vitrant was unstoppable. He found the net seven times.
Douai proved that it could cause headaches to the favorites. Last week, they traveled to Tourcoing and earned a point in the match of Day 7.
Pays d’Aix will play in Group A of the Champions League Qualifications. The host is Ortigia from Syracuse, but the tournament will be held in the indoor pool in Catania.
Tourcoing, which had ups and downs in the previous five matches, easily beat Reims. Tourcoing rushed to a 7:0 lead and never looked back. The visitors found the net for the first time two minutes before the end of the second quarter. The home side slowed down in the second half and saved energy for the next challenge. Tourcoing will play in the Champions League Qualifications, as well as Pays d’Aix. Tourcoing is in Group B in Budapest.
Marseille didn’t have a difficult task. The league leader hosted Bordeaux and recorded a 16:3 win. Marseille head coach Milos Scepanovic gave chances to a few younger players to prove themselves. Arshak Hovhannisyan was in front of the goal during the whole match, Dejan Lazovic was sitting on the bench.
In the last match of the weekend, played on Sunday, Strasbourg beat Nice. The reigning champions controlled the match from the beginning. In the final quarter, they completely outplayed its rival. Pavo Markovic, who scored six goals, was the best player of the match.
The next regular round in France is scheduled for November 28, but until then a few postponed and rescheduled matches should be played.
1.Marseille 8 – 24
2. Strasbourg 7 – 18
3. Noisy-le-Sec 5 – 13
4. Pays d’Aix 6 – 10
5. Montpellier 5 – 9
6. Douai 6 – 8
7. Tourcoing 6 – 7
8. Sete 5 – 3
9. Reims 6 – 3
10. Nice 6 – 1
11. Bordeaux 6 – 0
