GROUP A REVIEW: After a dominant start, Zagreb are too weak to stop Julien Bos & Co.
For 30 minutes, HC PPD Zagreb were close to their first EHF Champions League victory since March 2020, but then Montpellier HB started their engines.
Again boosted by youngster Julien Bos, the French side turned the page easily and took their fourth victory in a row. Like Bos, Zagreb’s best scorer Ivan Cupic struck seven times.
GROUP A
HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) vs Montpellier HB (FRA) 22:25 (13:12)
- Montpellier top the table, equal with THW Kiel on nine points
- With just nine goals in the second half, Zagreb lose again to remain on a solitary point
- Opening 13 minutes were the best the hosts had played this season outscoring Montpellier 6:2 and brilliant at both ends of the court
- Montpellier managed to get close but could not take the lead in the first half
- A treble strike by Julien Bos turned the page for Montpellier’s 15:13 advance
- With just one Zagreb goal in the first 16 minutes of the second half, Montpellier led 21:14 and the contest was over
Bos is the boss, again
In the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons of the EHF Champions League, Julien Bos scored a total of 32 goals (15, 17). After just six matches of the 2021/22 group phase, the 23-year-old sharp-shooter of Montpellier HB has already netted more.
Seven goals against Kiel and Vardar, 11 goals last week against Brest in his personal high-scoring match - and on Wednesday evening seven goals in Zagreb.
Right back Bos is on 34 strikes now and in the form of his life.
TEXT:
EHF / Björn Pazen