Paris Saint-Germain Handball recorded an impressive four-goal victory against the 2016 VELUX EHF Champions League champions Vive Tauron Kielce to earn the first spot in the 2016 IHF Super Globe final. The French side thereby took revenge on Kielce for the result of their 2016 Champions League semi-final meeting in May, when Kielce knocked PSG out of contention for the title and went on to claim the trophy.
“It wasn’t a perfect start to the game – it was a tough game for us. Great opponent Kielce, the European champion, they are a great team and it was a great fight,” said PSG's Nikola Karabatic following the match. “I think we played very good in defence – that was the key. The goal was to make fast-break goals, and to play more calm in offence.”
Duhail Sports Hall, Tuesday 6 September
Semi-final: Vive Tauron Kielce (POL) vs Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 25:29 (12:13)
The 60 minutes between these two powerhouse European sides proceeded just as expected, with a close contest headlined by strong goalkeeping from PSG’s Thierry Omeyer (46.7% save rate), and Kielce’s Filip Ivic (35.3%), tough 6-0 defence that meant every shot was a valuable opportunity, and superb attack that made for an entertaining match to decide which team would earn the right to contest the trophy.
The first 30 minutes were level with the lead changing hands more than once, and always only a one or two-goal score line in favour of the commanding team. The VELUX EHF Champions League 2015/16 champions Kielce held a narrow edge early on, scoring the opening goal thanks to Krzysztof Lijewski and leading through the first 10 mintues when right wing Tobias Reichmann created the first two-goal difference of the match at 6:4.
Luka Karabatic received a two-minute suspension but it did not affect the French side’s momentum, and the distance remained at one midway through the half when Nikola Karabatic closed the gap to 7:8. At that stage Kielce coach Talant Dujshebaev brought in new keeper Ivic in place of Slawomir Szmal, after which the show between the posts continued with numerous good saves from the young Croatian and two in a row from Omeyer in the 16th when the Polish team led 8:7.
After chasing for 20 minutes PSG claimed the lead for the first time in the 21st with a penalty from new German transfer left wing Uwe Gensheimer that took the score to 9:8, and they held that same advantage when the whistle for the break sounded.
In the second period PSG capitalised on two two-minute suspensions for Kielce that enabled them to create a four-goal advantage at 18:14 by the time the Polish champions were back at full strength in the 39th, and at the 40-minute mark they began to look much more the dominant side as they pulled further in front to 20:15.
Ivic made a great save off a Gensheimer fast break to keep the five-goal difference, but less than 30 seconds later the German left wing ran the length of the court again and this time did not miss, pulling Paris in front by six at 21:15.
As the match entered the last 15 minutes Ivic made a spectacular save against a clear breakthrough opportunity from Nedim Remili, though his team still trailed 17:23 at that point – but just as they did at the FINAL4 when they raised the trophy for the first time ever, Kielce showed their talent for coming back from a deficit.
In the 50th Omeyer saved a Karol Bielecki penalty that kept the score at 24:19 for PSG, after which Kielce came within four (26:22, 55th) and it was clear there was still a chance the game could go either way.
The team to watch as the final whistle approached turned out to be PSG, who did not allow Kielce any hope through the dying minutes and stormed home to finish with a four-goal advantage.