Match report

Royal Leopold just about saw off a huge challenge from Saint Germain to get their EHL Pool C campaign up and running with a 4-3 win.

After a rip-roaring opening, in which Saint Germain made a number of big chances, Leo burst their bubble with a devastating counter-attack. Dorian Thiery broke out of defence before playing into the path of Arthur Verdussen who left Glenn Turner with the simple task of tapping in.

Dimitri Cuvelier then laid on the second for Verdussen, a backhand cross that the scorer did well to get in front of his man to chip over Martin Zylbermann.

Maxine Plennevaux scored a third goal before half-time from the penalty spot after an unceremonious shove on a striker in shooting mode; 3-0 at half-time.

Hugo Genestet tried to start the comeback with a stroke of his own, awarded in similar circumstances, in the 40th minute, but Verdussen’s second goal seemed to have put the game to bed at 4-1 with just 18 minutes to go.

But Genestet fired in a low corner to make things interesting and, with more and more sustained pressure, Saint Germain were right back in the mix with six minutes to go when Martin Genestet got on the end of a right wing cross.

It set up a tense closing phase but Leo kept their calm and prevailed for a 4-3 win.