Winner of Sète at the end of a superb Hérault derby, Montpellier qualifies for the semi-final of the Coupe de France

Pierre Chandieu et le MWP sont venus à bout de Sétois accrocheurs. Midi Libre – LF

After its brilliant success against its best enemy, the MWP will face Marseille, Saturday (8 p.m.), in the semi-final of the Pierre-Garsau Trophy at the Olympic swimming pool in Montpellier.

The best French teams, women's and men's, are gathered at the Olympic swimming pool in Montpellier for a weekend to compete in the Coupe de France.

At the end of Friday's day, the spectators who filled the stands were able to watch a splendid Hérault derby between the locals from Montpellier and their neighbours from Sète in the quarter-finals of the Pierre-Garsau Trophy.

The show began in the first half. MWP quickly led by three goals to nothing. And even if Sète reacted (3-2, 5th), Fabien Vasseur's players took the lead thanks to a hat-trick from their captain Ilia Mustur and a goal from Pau Irmes (7-3, 12th).

Sète comes back to level

This was the moment chosen by the Sète team to react. Garcia and Do Cormo's doubles got the game back on track (8-7, 15th).

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In the third quarter, Sète kept its momentum going. The Hérault team equalized twice before taking the lead through Tomic in the 20th minute of play (9-10). It was then time for the goalkeepers to stop the bleeding.

Which did not prevent Ilia Mustur from levelling the score before starting a final breathless period (10-10).

The MWP will challenge the Marseille ogre

The tension was then at its peak in the stands as in the water. Montpellier's Van Den Burg responded to Sète's Garcia. Rossi, the visitors' goalkeeper, made a superb save but could do nothing against Spilliaert.

On the counter, Irmes served Chandieu on a platter and the MWP supporters exploded with joy (13-11, 29th). The fatal blow came from Irmes and his fourth personal goal.

At the end of a thrilling and correct duel, Montpellier won the derby against Sète and joined the four-time defending champion Marseille in the semi-final, this Saturday at 8 p.m.

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Montpellier… 14
Sète… 12
Montpellier Olympic swimming pool
Period details: 5-3, 3-4, 2-3, 4-2

Montpellier: Andric, Garcia – Van Den Burg (26th), Roussel, Chandieu (15th, 29th), B. Vasseur, Mustur (7th, 8th, 10th, 24th), Vilcot Lambert, Vasin (3rd), Vidil-Soulie, Ben Romdhane, Irmes (4th, 12th, 19th, 30th), M. Spilliaert (1st, 29th), Bliek Pannetier. Ent.: Fabien Vasseur.
Sète : Rossi, Joubert – Sauton (5th, 31st), Lasseron, Lopinot (8th), Do Carmo (14th, 15th), Tomic (4th, 18th, 21st), Paul Garcia (13th, 14th), Baltus, Karsenti, Gomes Da Silva (20th), Mureddu, Debiais, Court. Ent.: Mathieu Fournier.

Results: Pierre-Garsau Trophy (Quarter-finals): Marseille – Taverny: 18-6; Pays d’Aix – Nice: 14-9; Strasbourg – Reims: 14-12. Alice-Milliat Trophy (Quarter-finals): Nancy – Saint-Jean-d’Angély : 25-9 ; Nice – Toulon 14-6

Program: Pierre-Garsau Trophy (Semi-finals): Strasbourg – Pays d’Aix (6:15 p.m.), Marseille – Montpellier (8 p.m.); Alice-Milliat Trophy (Semi-finals): Lille – Nice (2:45 p.m.), Nancy – Bordeaux (4:30 p.m.)