The day after a historic Coupe de France match for FC Espaly against PSG, the village of Espaly-Saint-Marcel (Haute-Loire) is still in shock from this incredible evening. Although the defeat (4-2) left a bitter taste, the residents remain proud of their amateur club.
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This Tuesday, January 15 in the evening, Espaly-Saint-Marcel (Haute-Loire) vibrated like never before. FC Espaly, a modest club from the town, faced one of the giants of French football: PSG. And even if the final score (4-2) left a bitter taste, the feat of having hooked the Parisian stars remains engraved in the memories the day after the defeat.
At the Rocher bar, it was total excitement. Christophe Pepin, waiter of the place, says: “ The service was… hectic! From the goal in the 3rd minute, we woke up the whole neighborhood! We believed in it, we were already thinking about what happened next. Then, PSG quickly came back, but we never lost hope.” An electric atmosphere, with a crowded bar, the tables removed to make room for all the supporters. The dream of an exploit was nourished every minute.
For the club’s veterans who watched the match, the emotion is palpable. “We would have loved to experience this in our time”confides a former FC Espaly player. “Seeing that first goal was incredible! It was unexpected. » The team created an event, and the entire village was behind it.
“We are so proud of our team”
Cyril Tendille, bar manager, does not hesitate to highlight the performance of his team: “We shook PSG! Espaly can come out with his head held high. Losing 4-2 against one of the biggest clubs is quite an achievement. In the bar, there was shouting at every goal, at every opportunity. We didn’t take our eyes off the match. »
The final moments of the match kept everyone in suspense. Marcel, a resident of the village, summarizes: “We had a blast!” 2-2 a few minutes from the end, we couldn’t believe it. We are so proud of our team.”
The inhabitants of Espaly-Saint-Marcel can be proud of their club. This defeat against PSG has given rise to a collective pride which will not soon die out. An evening which will remain in the annals of the village, a feat of which we will speak for a long time.
