Narcisse and Onufryienko shine as PSG down Kiel

A superb clash between two of Europe’s most expensively assembled outfits produced a landmark result for PSG, who celebrated their first win over THW Kiel after stellar displays by Daniel Narcisse and Ukrainian trump card Sergiy Onufryienko.

GROUP A
THW Kiel (GER) vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball (FRA) 26:30 (10:16)

French title holders Paris Saint-Germain Handball enjoyed a memorable win over THW Kiel, their first against the German side after six successive defeats, thanks to an effervescent team effort in which centre back Daniel Narcisse and Ukraine’s Sergiy Onufryienko stood out.

It was also a monumental accomplishment for the French side’s coach Zvonimir Serdarusic, who faced his former club after coaching Kiel for 15 years (1993-2008) and winning the 2007 VELUX EHF Champions League title with them.

Kiel took an early 3:1 lead as the game got off to a fast and furious start, but the visitors turned the contest on its head soon afterwards as they engineered a 7:0 run and never looked back.

Their 39-year old goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer pulled off one superb save after another, bedazzling his rivals while a flowing PSG attack generated a flurry of goals at the other end.

Although their top scorer Mikkel Hansen was marked tightly and scored his first goal from the penalty line in the closing stages of the first half, unselfish team work allowed PSG to find chinks in Kiel’s armour with some ease.

Having led by six goals at the break, the visitors appeared to be home and dry when they took a 21:14 early in the second half but the home side then launched a fierce comeback.

Led by playmaker Domagoj Duvnjak, who had a quiet opening period, Kiel seemed to move up two gears and slashed the deficit to 26:25 in the home straight before they were undone by PSG’s dynamic duo in the last few minutes.

Onufriyenko conjured easily his best performance for PSG and scored some decisive goals along with Narcisse, silencing the vociferous home crowd in the Sparkasse Arena, unaccustomed to seeing Kiel lose on home court.

For PSG coach Noka Serdarusic, returning to his former club, he was in no doubt who made the difference in the first half, but bemoaned his sides’ inability to continue their pressure.

“Thierry Omeyer was brilliant before the break and backed the whole team,” he said. “We showed a great performance in the first 30 minutes but then we lacked precision in attack - and were lucky to win it in the end.”

His opposite number was more critical of his side. “In the first half, everything went wrong, which could go wrong” said Alfred Gislason, THW Kiel coach. “But we came back thanks to Niklas Landin, an improved defence and a higher percentage in attack.

“After this match, I am sure that Paris will become group winner if they continue like this.”

The inspired Onufryineko finished as the game’s top scorer with seven goals, Narcisse added six, while Samuel Honrubia and Hansen chipped in with four each for PSG.

Vujin netted five from 13 shots for a misfiring Kiel, with Duvnjak and Joan Canellas scoring four apiece.