22.02.2021, 12:00
Montpellier back to winning ways in Istanbul

GROUP C REVIEW: French side make it five wins from six with second-half surge

French powerhouse Montpellier secured their fifth win of the group phase with a powerful second half against Besiktas.

Without five players in the squad, Patrice Canayer’s team could not make a significant lead in the first half. With better play in the second part they have earned two points and made up for last week’s defeat against Magdeburg.

Besiktas played their penultimate match in the competition and are still without their first points in the group.

GROUP C

Besiktas Aygaz (TUR) vs Montpellier HB (FRA) 26:36 (13:15)

• Besiktas were missing Josip Buljubasic due to a one-match suspension, while Montpellier travelled without Gilberto Duarte, Alexis Borges, Jonas Truchanovicius. Diego Simonet and Julien Bos
• the home team led twice in the match (2:1 and 3:2) and trailed by one or two goals throughout first half-time
• Montpellier stepped up in the second half, with three straight goals giving them a six-goal lead
• the largest advantage for French team was set in the 50th minute with a ten-goal lead, 32:22
• Ramazan Done once again was the one who stood out in Besiktas team, scoring 13 times and taking his total to 48 goals

Opportunities for all players

Montpellier travelled to Istanbul with 14 players, missing five, but they were still too much to handle for Besiktas. Patrice Canayer knew they would be in control and gave an opportunity to other players in Montpellier’s squad who we do not often see. All three goalkeepers spent time between the posts with Marin Sego and Kevin Bonnefoi making some impressive saves and 20-year old Charles Bolzinger getting his first minutes on court. In attack, 10 of 11 players scored at least once, led by the brilliant Kyllian Villeminot with seven goals.

TEXT: EHF / Danijela Vekić