As the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France begin this Friday, amateur clubs dream of imitating certain teams who managed to bring down a professional club. Here are the five greatest feats achieved at this stage of competition in the 21st century.
1. Schirrhein (District) – Clermont (L2) 2009
The Alsatian club of Schirrhein, from a village of 2000 inhabitants located in Bas-Rhin, played in the District in 2008-2009, the highest departmental level which is equivalent to the 7th national level. He easily beat his neighbors Bischeim and Creutzwald in the 7th and 8th rounds to qualify for the 32nd finals. The draw reserves them a duel in Haguenau against Clermont Foot, a Ligue 2 club in which the young Mehdi Benatia plays. After being down 0-2 at half-time, the amateurs turned the situation around and won 4-2. This is the first time in the history of the Cup that a District club has qualified for the round of 16 of the competition. The Alsatians will draw Toulouse, a Ligue 1 club, in the round of 16 and lose 8-0.
2. Mende (DHR) – Arles-Avignon (L2) 2013
Avenir Foot Lozère, a club located in Mende in Lozère, is in DHR, the equivalent of the 7th national level, during the 2012-2013 season. The Mendois managed as best they could to make their way to the 7th round of the competition where they beat the National de l’Uzès Pont du Gard club 1-0. They then eliminate Limoges (4-2), a CFA2 club, and qualify for the 32nd finals where they host the Arles-Avignon club, a mid-table Ligue 2 club. In the small Chapter sports complex, the Lozériens were not ridiculous and won two goals to zero thanks to a double from their captain Fadil Gourmat. Avenir Foot Lozère lost in the next round 3-0 against Le Havre, another Ligue 2 club.
3. Chambéry (CFA2)- Monaco(L1) 2011
Before 2010-2011, Chambéry, resident of CFA2 (fifth French division), was not used to epics in the Coupe de France. After easily beating two amateur clubs in the seventh and eighth rounds, the Savoyards must have trembled when they learned that they would challenge Ligue 1 club AS Monaco in the round of 32 of the competition. On the day of the match, far from being ridiculous, the fans opened the scoring in the 5th minute through Thomas Dubard before Chris Malonga equalized in the 19th minute. The amateurs held on until the end of extra time and won 3 shots on goal to 2. The Savoyard club continued its epic and then beat two Ligue 1 clubs, Brest then Sochaux, and went as far as the quarter-finals where he lost 0-3 at the Stade des Alpes against SCO Angers. The club even managed to obtain its promotion to the CFA on the field, a promotion which was canceled by the DNCG due to poor financial management.
4. Wasquehal (CFA2) – Auxerre (L1) 2011
Same season but different club. After easily beating a Promotion d’Honneur club in the seventh round then enjoying a victory on the green carpet in the eighth round, Wasquehal qualified for the 32nd finals. Residents of CFA2, the Northerners come across AJ Auxerre, 3rd in Ligue 1 the previous season and who have just finished their Champions League group stage during which they faced Real Madrid, AC Milan and Ajax Amsterdam. After conceding the opener in the 12th minute, the amateurs scored in the 82nd and 90+1st minutes and won 2-1. They will lose against their neighbor Lille, future winner of the event, in the next round with a score of 1-0.
5. Schiltigheim (CFA2) – Troyes (L1) 2003
The Alsatian club Schiltigheim played in CFA2 when it drew Troyes, who were then playing in Ligue 1, in the round of 32 of the 2002-2003 Coupe de France. Faced with an admittedly poorly ranked elite club, the amateurs mastered their match and beat the professionals with a score of 3-1. They will then take out Beauvais, a Ligue 2 club, then Toulouse (Ligue 1) and will go as far as the quarter-finals. In a contested match against Rennes at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, the Alsatians quickly led 1-0 but received a red card and conceded two goals at the end of the second half, which put an end to their epic and their hopes of last square.
