Nantes book EHF FINAL4 ticket after narrow defeat
HBC Nantes became the second French side to qualify for the EHF FINAL4 on Thursday, a day after Paris Saint-Germain HB booked their trip to Cologne on 12/13 June. Aalborg Håndbold are the third team confirmed for the final tournament.
Nantes lost the second leg of their quarter-final against Telekom Veszprém HC 32:30, but still advanced as the aggregate winners following their 32:28 win in France last week.
Nantes will play at the EHF FINAL4 for the second time in the club’s history – after 2018, when they lost an all-French final against Montpellier HB.
QUARTER-FINAL:
Telekom Veszprem HC (HUN) vs HBC Nantes (FRA) 32:30 (18:15)
First leg result: 28:32. Nantes win 62:60 on aggregate.
- Veszprém looked down and out when they were down by three goals (8:5), and seven on aggregate, after 11 minutes
- led by Petar Nenadic, the Hungarian side battled their way back into the match
- despite a red card for defensive specialist Blaz Blagotinsek in the 26th minute, Veszprém were in the driving seat at half-time: 18:15
- like in the first half, Nantes started better in the second, mainly thanks to six goals from David Balaguer
- Veszprém remained in the lead in the last 15 minutes, but needed a five-goal win after Nantes passed the 28-goal mark but such result was never really on the cards
French handball back on top of Europe?
For the first time since 2018, France will have more than one team in Cologne for the EHF FINAL4: Nantes and PSG. Three years ago, they also qualified and there was even a third French team present – and clinched the title: Montpellier. Could Nantes repeat that achievement next month? From what they have shown in Hungary on Thursday, Nantes certainly do have the potential to go all the way. Their experience and talent could well be a winning mixture in Cologne.
It was a big game. We knew from the beginning that it would be an amazing game. They played very well, we played very well. At the finish, the EHF FINAL4 was all that mattered for us.
It was a tough game today, just as we expected. The first leg was our worst game of the season and the four-goal defeat there was too much. We fought, but the opponent was better. For the club, of course, it is a disappointment.
