26.02.2010, 12:00
Montpellier win Group A

French champions defeat Chechov in Russia 28:27.

Montpellier winner of  group A

Group A:

Chechovski Medvedi – Montpellier HB 27:28 (11:16)

Montpellier HB is the first team to be safe as a group winner in this season’s men’s Champions League. Thanks to the only finally narrow, but deserved 28:27 victory at Chechovski Medvedi on Thursday, the French Champion has won the eight of nine CL matches and can’t be overtaken neither by Chechov, nor by Valladolid. Concerning this fact Montpellier will have the home right in the second leg of the last 16 and will play against one team ranked fourth after the group phase.

Montpellier surprised the Russians, who needed a victory for still having a chance to win the group, in the first stage with a seven goal lead (13:6). Top player before the break was Montpellier goalkeeper Daouda Karaboué. The French team remained in a clear lead after the break and was on the way to an easy victory in minute 38 and the score of 21:14. But the “Russian bear” caught up again in minute 46, when they had reduced the gap to only 20:22. Thanks to a strong period of Nikola Karabatic and Michel Guigou Montpellier decided the game right afterwards at the score of 27:22. Chechov came closer again, but didn’t have the chance to turn the match completely. In the last five minutes the Russians scored a 4:0 series to the final score of 27:28 after the 23:28, but weren’t able to win. As Chechov will play at PAOK in the tenth and final group match, they have best chances to remain second in the end.

TEXT: Björn Pazen