It was a surprisingly tough premiere for PSG in the French League. Chambéry had the reigning champions on the ropes, and it was not until the very final minutes PSG could pull away for a 29–26 win.
Coming off their twelfth straight championship, PSG are once again huge favorites to win the French League. However, with Nantes finishing only four points behind last year and Montpellier beating PSG in the cup final, the competition is slowly closing the gap to the top.
That was also evident on opening night as Chambéry welcomed the reigning champions. In front of an electric home crowd, Chambéry got off to a fast start, and after a 3–0 run midway through the first half, the home side held an 11–8 lead.
That lead did not last long, however, as PSG showed their class toward the end of the half. After some early offensive struggles, the away team demonstrated their firepower by scoring six goals in the final five minutes. That was enough to turn the game around and give them a 16–13 lead going into the break.
Chambéry were not about to give up, though. Once again, an inspired home side came out of the locker room, and with another 3–0 run, the game was back to even. The second half was a tight battle with both teams trading goals back and forth, making it look like the game would come down to the final possessions.
But with a couple of minutes left, the reigning champions did what they almost always do. Thanks to a few key plays, including some crucial saves, PSG managed to pull away in the closing minutes and ultimately secure a three-goal win.
Results French League (4/9):
Chambéry – PSG 26–29
Limoges – Saint-Raphaël 36–31
Montpellier – Chartres 41–22
Cesson-Rennes – Nîmes USAM 32–34