Football

'Never in wildest dreams': Fourth-tier team reach French Cup quarters

Stade Briochin's French midfielder Leo Yobe (L) celebrates after winning the French Cup (Coupe de France) round of 16 match against Nice at the Stade Fred-Aubert stadium in Saint-Brieuc on February 5, 2025. Photo: AFP

Fourth division Stade Briochin stunned top-flight Nice 2-1 to reach the French Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday with a performance the minnows' coach admitted was beyond his "wildest dreams".

Nice, fifth in Ligue 1 and chasing a place in Europe next season, were ahead in the tie thanks to Tom Louchet's 55th-minute effort.

However, Stade Briochin levelled in the 88th minute through Boubacar Diakhaby before Hugo Boudin scored the winner in stoppage time to send the Brittany club through to the last-eight for the first time.

"It's extraordinary. Even in our wildest dreams, we didn't imagine that," admitted coach Guillaume Allanou, who also doubles up as president and sporting director of the club.

"Clearly, we were dealing with very, very high level players, many of them internationals.

"We absolutely had to be hyper-vigilant, hyper-focused on everything."

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'Never in wildest dreams': Fourth-tier team reach French Cup quarters

Stade Briochin's French midfielder Leo Yobe (L) celebrates after winning the French Cup (Coupe de France) round of 16 match against Nice at the Stade Fred-Aubert stadium in Saint-Brieuc on February 5, 2025. Photo: AFP

Fourth division Stade Briochin stunned top-flight Nice 2-1 to reach the French Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday with a performance the minnows' coach admitted was beyond his "wildest dreams".

Nice, fifth in Ligue 1 and chasing a place in Europe next season, were ahead in the tie thanks to Tom Louchet's 55th-minute effort.

However, Stade Briochin levelled in the 88th minute through Boubacar Diakhaby before Hugo Boudin scored the winner in stoppage time to send the Brittany club through to the last-eight for the first time.

"It's extraordinary. Even in our wildest dreams, we didn't imagine that," admitted coach Guillaume Allanou, who also doubles up as president and sporting director of the club.

"Clearly, we were dealing with very, very high level players, many of them internationals.

"We absolutely had to be hyper-vigilant, hyper-focused on everything."

Comments

সংহতির অভাব সরকারের সংস্কার প্রচেষ্টার গুরুত্বপূর্ণ চ্যালেঞ্জ: নাহিদ

সংহতির অভাব সরকারের সংস্কার প্রচেষ্টার একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ চ্যালেঞ্জ হয়ে দাঁড়িয়েছে বলে বাসসকে জানিয়েছেন তথ্য ও সম্প্রচার মন্ত্রণালয়ের উপদেষ্টা মো. নাহিদ ইসলাম।

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