GROUP A REVIEW : In the first game of group A, Toulouse took the two points at home against Metalurg, on the back of a very strong first half.

After qualifying for the European League group phase for the first time in history, Toulouse were not exactly favourites against Metalurg, especially since the French side lost centre-back and mastermind Luc Steins on Sunday to an ankle injury.

The team from North Macedonia, on the other hand, had to go through two qualification rounds in which they lost both their away games, making this very first confrontation between the two teams a very open one.

GROUP A

FENIX Toulouse HB (FRA) vs HC Metalurg (MKD) 33:29 (18:15)

• Both teams’ best scorers netted nine times : Henrik Jakobsen for Toulouse and Milan Popovic for Metalurg
• Luka Sokolic, Toulouse’s defender, was ejected just 16 minutes into the game, after serving three two-minute suspensions
• First half saw Toulouse break away early on the scoreboard, the French team taking a five goals lead at the 17th minute (11:6), thanks to Nemanja Ilic and Henrik Jakobsen’s fastbreaks
• Metalurg had three shots to come back within one in the second half, but goalkeeper Jef Lettens managed to save the night for Toulouse
• Toulouse will travel to Leon next week, while Metalurg will host Plock

Luka Sokolic’s early ejection

The Croatian Luka Sokolic, defence specialist for Toulouse, set some kind of record this evening, as he managed to be suspended three times for two minutes within the first sixteen minutes of the game. It could have caused some trouble for the French side, but it actually helped it. With Jef Lettens between the posts making some spectacular saves and his teammates making crucial steals, Toulouse created the big gap after Sokolic was ejected.