Montpellier eye first trip to Cologne after draw in Germany

French club Montpellier stand a good chance of reaching the VELUX EHF FINAL4 for the first time, after they recorded a 28:28 draw away against SG Flensburg-Handewitt in Wednesday’s opening quarter-final first leg.

• Never more than three goals separating the teams
• Ludovic Fabregas scored seven goals for Montpellier
• Lasse Svan, Hampus Wanne and Rasmus Lauge scored five goals each for Flensburg

QUARTER-FINAL, FIRST LEG
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) vs Montpellier HB (FRA) 28:28 (17:15)

Montpellier will be the happier of the two sides after bringing a draw home to France for the second leg, but it is all to play for after the close and well-played encounter on Wednesday evening.

After Flensburg took an early at the beginning, an effective attack and a strong Vincent Gerard in goal allowed Montpellier to have a slight upper hand and a two-goal lead for most of the first period.

Montpellier switched between a 6-0 defence and pushing Ludovic Fabrogas or Arnaud Bingo forward in a 5-1 formation, but neither step managed to stop Flensburg from finding a way through and with brilliant playmaker work by Rasmus Lauge and efficiency from Lasse Svan on the right wing in particular, the home team managed to turn the tables and claim a two-goal lead of their own by the half-time break.

Montpellier coach Patrice Canayer rotated his players diligently and did so without weakening his team, who went three goals up at 23:20 and 24:21 early in the second half.

Solidly supported by an enthusiastic Flens Arena at full capacity, 2014 champions Flensburg managed to work themselves back into the game and with nine minutes left Hampus Wanne equalised at 25:25.

From then on, goals were traded and nothing could separate the teams, who meet again in the all-important second leg next Sunday in southern France.

Picture © EHF/Benjamin Nolte