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African champions Esperance Sportive de Tunis launched their campaign on a winning note by defeating Sydney University 29-20 in the opening match of the IHF Super Globe 2014 at the newly-built Qatar Handball Sports Complex yesterday. |
The Tunisian side played a fast first-half and put up a strong defence in the final minutes of the match to keep the Sydney students at bay.
The Australians were more or less blown away, overwhelmed by the pace of Esperance before they could really get into the game. The African side raced to a 14-5 lead in the first-half.
After the first 30 minutes, the North Africans lost their concentration a bit and the Sydney students grabbed the opportunity to reduce the goal margin by more than 10 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second-half.
The Tunisians soon gathered their thoughts and returned back to the fast-paced game to avoid any last-minute drama and finished the game with a nine-point lead.
“Overall it was a good game for us. We started well and we were in control playing quite good in transition, with many fast breaks. In the second half we tried to rest some players and we were not that good in the defence, but we managed to win comfortably,” Esperance coach Nejib Ben Thayer said.
After Sten Lennström had scored the first goal of the tournament for the Sydney University, the African club champions easily and quickly took full control of the match. Backed by the saves by their goalkeeper Slim Zhani and boosted by their greater individual skills, Esperance left Sydney behind in a dominant way.
The Oceania club champions suffered from a huge number of two-minute suspensions for their players, and Tunis took advantage of the numbers game to forge ahead decisively before the break. In the 16th minute it was 6-2; just before the half-time buzzer the advance had increased to nine goals at 14-5. They doubled their lead over Sydney’s when the score reached 15-5.
But Sydney showed character, reducing the gap from 11 goals to only five at 23-18 in the 52nd minute. But despite this clear improvement, Sydney’s hopes for their first-ever win at the IHF Super Globe after five defeats in each of the previous two years were shattered.
“The first game is always extremely tricky for Sydney, because the competition we face in Australia is nowhere near the level of the Super Globe. My players got a little bit excited with the event and were not as focused as they should have been. In the second half we showed what we are capable of. I expected that it would take time for us to reach that kind of level,” Sydney University coach Philipp Enders said.
Bassem Mrabet and Yahiaoui combined well to hit the back of the net six times each for the winners. Houcem Hmam chipped in with five goals. The goal-keeper Wassim Helal also performed superbly as he blocked seven shots.
Diego Llorrente scored four goals for the Australian team.
“Sydney played well, especially in the second-half, but we managed to stay focused and win the game. Our defence was very good and we shot well in attack. It was important for us to start with a win. In the second-half, when Sydney managed to get closer, we tightened our defence and were able to score with fast breaks in the last ten minutes of the game,” Esperance player Marouen Magaeizs said after the match.
Sydney’s Sebastien Jean Traverso said: “The aim of our game was to play well and to keep the difference within ten goals and at some point we cut their lead to five and six goals. We are not used to this level of handball. We prepared hard, we knew the first game was an introduction to the whole tournament. In the first half, it took us time to adapt to the physicality of the match. We expected that game of play from our opponents, since they are the Africans champions. We cut the difference in the second-half; actually we drew in the second-half. Overall we are disappointed with the result, but pleased with our overall attitude.”
Sydney’s Pierre Gaulon added: “The improvement of our game in the second-half will be the point of reference in the next games. We knew what to do especially in defence. If we don’t make mistakes like those we did in the second half, we are going to have better results.
“In the first-half, we didn’t know exactly what to expect. Of course they are the African champions, but we didn’t adjust to the needs of the game quickly.”
Esperance will meet Al Sadd today and will take on the defending champions Barcelona tomorrow in its Group B matches.