TFC – Laval in the Coupe de France: what are the “Tango”, future opponents of Toulouse in the round of 16, really worth?

The TFC was scared and hopes to avoid experiencing similar cold sweats again for its round of 16 French Cup finals. After a qualification snatched at the end of the penalty shootout against the modest Hauts-Lyonnais, residents of National 3, Toulouse will have to beat Stade Lavallois, residents of Ligue 2, to hope to continue their journey in the competition.

In the previous round, Laval managed to get rid of Mérignac, a club from Regional 1, the sixth French division. A qualification acquired with pain, again at the end of a penalty shootout after a goalless draw, which allows the Tango (the nickname of the Laval players, Editor's note) to continue a series of invincibility which has lasted since on October 29 and a defeat against Clermont.

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Including their last two victories in the Coupe de France, obtained despite draws, Laval even remains on 6 victories in a row. A great dynamic that they will try to preserve before traveling to the Stadium to face the Violets. Until then, they will host Ligue 2 leader Lorient, then Red Star.

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After a very average start to the season with no victories in the first four games of the season, Laval managed to get back on track and have been doing well ever since. They are now in an interesting 6th place. But nothing is done, because if they are 6 points from the podium, the pursuers are not very far either. Guimgamp, Amiens, Bastia and Pau are all less than 3 points from Tango.

A club on the upward slope

After their National title in 2022 and promotion to Ligue 2, Laval is constantly progressing. A 15th place in 2023 then a 7th in 2024. This year, they are carried by the French Malik Tchokounté and Malik Sellouki, 6 goals each in Ligue 2 and the Malian Mamadou Camara, 5 goals this season. Sellouki and Camara are still young and hope to follow in the footsteps of Nordi Mukiele or Serhou Guirassy, ​​trained at the club and who are now playing at the highest level, or even Franck Leboeuf, also trained at the club and world champion.

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Even if Laval's Ligue 2 campaign is good, it is an opponent who remains a priori within reach of Carles Martinez Novell's men. Especially since in the French Cup, they have so far tended to complicate their task. It's simple, in three matches they have never managed to win before the penalty shootout.

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In the 7th round, against Vitré, resident of National 3, they won at the end of the session 5 to 4 after a dull 0-0. Then against Concarneau, a National club, they got a scare by conceding the equalizing goal at the end of regulation time (2-2) before winning on penalties. And the last match was therefore another victory snatched from penalties against the little Thumb Mérignac.

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We will see “in mid-January”, if the Violets manage to avoid another match with a crazy scenario or if Laval, galvanized by the stakes, manages to stand up to them more than is reasonable.