Fourth-tier Versailles reach French Cup quarter-finals

Paris (AFP) – Fourth-tier outfit Versailles reached the French Cup quarter-finals on Saturday with a shock 1-0 win at Ligue 2 leaders Toulouse.

It is the fourth straight season a team from the fourth division have made the last eight and Versailles will be hoping to emulate Rumilly-Vallieres’ effort from last term by reaching the semis.

“My role is to keep a cool head even if I am perfectly aware that we have just eliminated the Ligue 2 leaders on their own patch,” said Versailles coach Youssef Chibhi.

“This qualification was not expected. As we progress through the rounds, we get caught up in the game. A mania is then created. The French Cup facilitates that type of enthusiasm.”

Toulouse, hosting the match as Versailles’ stadium is not at the standard required for a last-16 tie, played the majority of the game with only 10 men after Steve Mvoue’s 21st-minute red card.

The home team still dominated possession but only mustered one shot on target and Versailles snatched the winner 11 minutes from time as Kapit Djoco finished off a fine move at the near post.

The amateurs held on for a famous win despite also having a man sent off in injury time when Melvyn Vieira was dismissed.

They will find out their next opponents in Monday’s quarter-final draw.

Fellow fourth-tier club Bergerac Perigord are also still in the competition and host top-flight strugglers Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

Marseille also progressed with a penalty shootout win over Montpellier following a 1-1 draw at the Stade Velodrome.

Teenage substitute Beni Makouana scored an 80th-minute equaliser for the away team after Arkadiusz Milik’s opener for Marseille.

But the 10-time winners edged through on penalties, with Dimitri Payet converting the winning spot-kick.

Second-tier Bastia also reached the quarters on penalties, after a 1-1 draw with Reims.

The Corsicans, who were relegated to the fifth division in 2017 after financial difficulties, are into the last eight for the first time since losing the 2002 final to Lorient.

Elsewhere, Amiens saw off fellow Ligue 2 side Nancy 2-0.