efficient, Strasbourg wins against Calais and reaches the round of 16

Without being transcendent, Strasbourg won in Calais (3-0) on Saturday evening and qualified for the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, despite good resistance from the Northerners in the first period.

In the cup you sometimes have to settle for little in the game. This was the case with Strasbourg at the Calais Epic Stadium. Uninspired during the first 45 minutes, the Alsatians, without really accelerating, ended up establishing a certain control over the Racing Club de Calais (National 3). An angry header from Andrey Santos, scorer as often this season (six in Ligue 1) from a corner shortly before the hour mark (57th), then a double from Sekou Mara (73rd, 90th) was enough for the Alsatians to be happy long timid.

Crazy atmosphere

Racing Club de Strasbourg coach Liam Rosenior can also thank Karl-Johan Johnsson, author of a good penalty save at the end of the first period. The Calaisian Luca Pélissier, one of the leading men of an uninhibited northern team which dreamed of a new adventure in the image of its glorious elders – the CRUFC, another club from Calais which has since disappeared, reached the final in 2000 -, saw his shot diverted (39th). An infuriating turning point for the locals who had so far managed to match the score and put the 11,000 spectators into a cup atmosphere.

But the Strasbourg side, although reworked (six changes compared to the last day of Ligue 1), returned from the locker room after the intermission with other intentions. They will spend the truce warm while in Calais, past nostalgia and all the good intentions in the world will not take away the taste of disappointment.