Amiens RIF Makes Historic Sixth Round Debut as Coupe de France Sixth Round Draw Reveals Key Derby Matches

Historic scenes took place in the Coupe de France as Amiens RIF secured their first-ever qualification for the sixth round by overcoming EC Anstaing Chereng 2-1 at the Henri Leclercq stadium. This landmark victory, celebrated by coach Youssef Dahchouri and captain Hicham Arkoub, marked a pivotal moment for the club. Dahchouri, reflecting on the emotional win, said, "I feel privileged. We are overwhelmed with emotions." The team displayed resilience by quickly equalizing after conceding a penalty and then taking the lead early in the second half. Arkoub emphasized their commitment to proactive play, stating the squad was confident and unafraid despite the opposition being from a higher division.

On the same day, the draw for the sixth round of the Coupe de France was held in Lyon, setting up significant fixtures especially for clubs from the Drôme and Ardèche regions. In Drôme, a local derby pits Crest-Aouste against Olympique de Valence, both from the Régional 1 (R1), guaranteeing at least one Drôme team’s passage to the seventh round, where Ligue 2 clubs will enter the competition. Meanwhile, Ardèche representatives Rhône Crussol (R2) will travel to face Cernex (D2, Haute-Savoie), and Saint-Jean-de-Muzols (D2) will host Saint-Paul-en-Jarez (R3). The president of Saint-Jean-de-Muzols highlighted the historic nature of reaching this stage, calling it "only a bonus; it’s already historic for the club."

Matches for the sixth round are scheduled for the weekend of October 24-25, with victorious teams advancing to face tougher competition including professional clubs from Ligue 2. For Amiens RIF, the path is now set, as they eagerly await their next opponent, hoping to continue their remarkable journey in the nation’s prestigious cup competition.