Pontault-Combault Handball — Saintes: 40:41, Proligue

Pontoise-Compiègne secured a narrow 40:39 victory over Metz in the ProLigue on Thursday evening. The result keeps the hosts in sixth place while leaving the visitors rooted in tenth. Both sides had played six matches before this encounter, each carrying their own weight of expectation.

Pontoise-Compiègne remain eight points clear of the bottom half, while Metz sit four points adrift with two wins and four defeats. The gap between them is not vast, but the trajectory of both campaigns points in opposite directions.

The hosts arrived with momentum after three consecutive positive results — a 29:23 win against Istres, a 37:30 victory over Massy Essonne HB, and a hard-fought 41:39 triumph against Val-d'Oise. Metz, meanwhile, had shown flashes of promise with a 38:31 win over Besançon but followed it with a 23:27 loss to Draguignan Var.

We had backed Pontoise-Compiègne to win at 70 per cent confidence, and the prediction held up. To be fair, the home side's consistency at their own venue had been evident throughout the season. They knew how to close out tight games, and this was another example of that.

A single-goal margin tells you this was decided in the final moments. Metz pushed hard enough to earn a point, but Pontoise-Compiègne's experience in these situations proved decisive. They extend their unbeaten run and keep their sights on the upper reaches of the table.