L’ESBF has once again suffered the law of the strongest in D1/Butagaz Energy League. Very heavily beaten (40-24) Metza week ago, the Bisontine handball players also lost against the other invincible co-leader this Wednesday evening: defeat (25-34) at home, against Brest which achieves a seventh victory in as many championship days this season.
And as with Messines, the damage was done in the first period. The ESBF was trailing 22-9 at halftime in Lorraine. And after the first thirty minutes of play, this Wednesday, it was 10-20 which was written on the scoreboard at the Palais des Sports in Besançon. The 3,000 spectators who had filled it nevertheless pushed, with fervor, throughout the entire game.
These two consecutive defeats – with a difference of 16 and 9 goals – inflicted by the two heavyweights of French women’s handball who also perform in the Champions League, nevertheless remain a form of respected logic. Far from being infamous, therefore, especially since Jérôme Delarue’s players each time knew how to offer a good reaction in the second half. Not enough to satisfy the vice-captain of the ESBF, Sabrina Zazaï-Özil either: no more than her 13 goals (including 9/9 on penalties) which made her the best scorer of the match against Brest…
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Winning return to Besançon for Raphaëlle Tervel and Clarisse Mairot
The Franche-Comté supporters at the Palais des Sports in Besançon also did not fail, during the presentation of the teams on the floor, to warmly applaud the numerous “ex” of the ESBF who are today defending the colors of the Brest armada: Raphaëlle Tervel and Sandrine Mariot, the pair of coaches as well as Clarisse Mairot (6 goals) – who notably played against her little sister Juliette – were back in their cauldron of heart for the first time. It was the second season for Juliette Faure (4 goals) and Audrey Dembélé (3 goals).
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The ESBF not far from the European Top 5, at the end of the first part of the championship
Au rankingthe Bisontines (three victories / four defeats) slip to 7th place tied and are two points behind their objective of the European Top 5. But, unlike the majority of their direct competitors, they have already faced the top four in the championship (Brest, Metz, Dijon, Paris) during the seven days scheduled since the start of the season. That is to say only a large quarter of the 26 planned in total in D1 / LBE, which will now take a break until the first weekend of January 2025. The time of Euro 2024, from November 28 to December 15, for the Bleues and all other qualified national selections.
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An unprecedented Bisontin derby, this Saturday, to end the year 2024
The ESBF nevertheless still has one match to play in official competition before the end of this year 2024. And not just any match: against the neighbors of Polentathis Saturday (7 p.m.) at the Palais des Sports in Besançon, for the 1st Round of the Coupe de France. This is the very first Bisontin derby in the history of women’s handball (excluding a friendly match) between the flag teams of the two clubs! Promoted again to D2 this season, the Palente players are currently 7th in their championship.
