With only a win in their last five away games, it looked like a pattern was emerging for Metz, but Emmanuel Mayonnade’s side negated it with a strong finish against Team Esbjerg.

The French side amped up their defence and were clinical in attack to seal a 28:25 win.

GROUP A

Team Esbjerg (DEN) vs Metz Handball (FRA) 25:28 (16:12)

• Danish right back Louise Burgaard was instrumental for an unanswered 4:0 run that saw Metz jump to a 11:7 lead after 18 minutes
• but Metz failed to score in the last seven minutes and 19 seconds of the first half, enabling Esbjerg to go on a 7:0 run that turned the game on its head, 16:12, at the break
• the French side bounced back in the second half, inspired by goalkeeper Hatadou Sako, who saved seven shots in the last 30 minutes of the game
• Metz now have two wins in a row against Esbjerg after a 31:29 victory in round 6
• Metz now tie FTC for the third place in the group, with eight points, while Esbjerg are still seventh, failing to win any game from the last seven matches and now with a four-game losing streak

Superior depth lifts Metz past Esbjerg

It was all about depth and security in Metz’s win, as the French side never panicked, despite being down by four goals at the break. Metz improved their attacking efficiency from 43 per cent in the first half to 53 per cent in the end, as Esbjerg’s depth woes were the Danish side undoing, like in the previous games.