A final effort in the French Cup before the holidays for the Mende Gévaudan Handball Club

La relation Florian Coste et Olivier Cavalier sera l’une des clés de la réussite du MGCH. Midi Libre – Correspondant

Troisième tour de coupe de France, ce samedi 21 décembre 2024, à Livron pour l’équipe première.

This weekend, the two senior boys' teams of the Mende Gévaudan Club Handball (MGCH) are involved in the French Cup in a third round that will be a form of mixing before the 32nd finals on the weekend of January 11, 2025. The format is a three-team tournament with matches of two times twenty-five minutes where only the winner of this tournament will see the next round.

The reserve team plays this Saturday, December 21, in Saint-Germain-Blavozy, with a first match against Sainte-Sigolène then a second against the host club. These two teams play at the same level as MGCH, but in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes championship.

Three hours of driving

For team one, that same day, it is a long journey in the Drôme, to Livron, which awaits them to face Montélimar, first then Livron, second.

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After a near-perfect first half of the championship and a place as leader, Maxime André's teammates absolutely want to end this year in style with qualification. But it doesn't look easy because, in addition to the minimum three-hour drive, they will face a Montélimar team that has won four games in five.

A group almost at full strength

This first match looks crucial and a defeat will almost seal the elimination of the Lozère players. On the contrary, a victory would allow them to rest for two hours while waiting for the Livron-Montélimar match. This Livron team, which plays in Excellence, third in its championship, will be the outsiders of this tournament. She will have a major advantage with the support of her public.

For the Mendois, the group will be almost complete even if the absence of captain Antoine Cuminal will be the only small downside for the MGCH players.

“Make history”

“This French Cup is really close to my heart because it is an event on which we can make history for the club, recalls Florent Bodin, the coach of the senior 1. The boys of the club have never gone beyond the 32nd finals. I think that this year, we have the means to do better if everyone makes the effort. So of course it adds matches to our schedule but that doesn't bother me. We are lucky to have a group wide and to be able to make the necessary rotations.

“Play hard”

The coach projects:“We mustn't calculate on Sunday and play hard from the first match because if we lose the first one, it's over. We're going into the unknown against opponents we don't know and vice versa. That's what makes this competition so charming. By the way, we would have a good chance of hosting a 32nd at home, which would be extraordinary for the club. I won't forget our reserves, which could also go for a qualification in the 32nd. There must not be many clubs that can boast of still having two men's teams in this competition.“

To give themselves the best possible chances, the club is providing a coach for the players, which can be supplemented by interested supporters to accompany them, with a departure at 8:15 a.m. from La Vernède.

The squad for Livron: Soussi and Roche (goalkeepers), Molinié, Daudé, Coste, Sartre, Bonnefoy, Pot, Maleel, Berkat, André, Lacour, Cavalier and Vaugelade. I subscribe to read the rest