Avranches Stunningly Eliminates Brest from Coupe de France in Penalty Shootout

In a remarkable upset in the Coupe de France round of 32, fourth division side Avranches defeated Ligue 1 team Brest after a dramatic penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw over extra time. Avranches' goalkeeper Anthony Beuve was pivotal, saving Brest's first penalty to secure a 5-4 shootout victory for his team.

The match took a decisive turn early on when Brest was reduced to ten men after Julien Le Cardinal received a red card for a last-man foul in the 21st minute. Avranches quickly capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Nassim Sabihi scoring the opener just two minutes later from a well-placed free kick by Jessy Pi.

Despite being a man down, Brest equalized in spectacular fashion when Rémy Labeau-Lascary scored with an overhead kick in the 34th minute. The second half saw Avranches pressing for another goal but failing to convert, while Brest missed chances themselves, notably a header from Joris Chotard cleared off the line.

In the penalty shootout, all Avranches players successfully converted their attempts. Brest’s Romain Del Castillo had his shot brilliantly saved by the 38-year-old Beuve, who expressed pride in his team's performance, especially considering Brest's recent Champions League participation. Beuve said, “We are starting to realize little by little because we are an experienced group used to these types of matches. However, we shouldn't underestimate what we achieved against a club that played in the Champions League last season.” He also noted Avranches had been on a five-match winless streak before this victory.

Avranches' victory marks a major surprise in the Coupe de France, as the National 2 side advances to the next round, celebrating a significant achievement against a top-flight club.