Coupe de France Round of 16: Rennes, Lyon, and Montpellier Advance with Key Wins

The Coupe de France round of 16 concluded with several significant match outcomes as teams secured their places for the quarterfinals.

Rennes overcame a challenging start against National 2 side Chantilly, who took the lead through Evens Joseph in the 42nd minute. The game shifted after Sambou Yatabaré of Chantilly was sent off in the 68th minute for a foul on Alidu Seidu. Rennes capitalized swiftly, with Quentin Merlin scoring a free-kick in the 70th minute to equalize, followed quickly by Musa Al-Taamari giving Rennes the lead in the 71st minute. Elias Legendre Quiñonez sealed the 3-1 win with his first professional goal in the 78th minute, ensuring Rennes' advancement to the eighth finals. Despite Chantilly's strong showing for 70 minutes, the red card altered the game's momentum decisively.

Montpellier delivered a dominant 4-0 victory over Metz, worsening the latter's struggling season. Teji Savanier scored from the penalty spot, and Yanis Issoufou contributed, among others, to the decisive win. Fans expressed frustration with Metz’s poor performance, calling for leadership changes.

Lyon earned a 2-1 victory away at Lille, with Alfonso Moreira opening the scoring in the opening minute by capitalizing on a goalkeeping error. Endrick scored his first goal for Lyon, assisted by Tolisso, to restore the lead just before halftime. Lille managed a brief equalizer through Ngoy but could not overturn the result.

Le Mans progressed after a goalless draw with Nancy, winning the penalty shootout 4-1. Nancy missed two crucial penalties, which ultimately decided their elimination.

The competition now looks towards upcoming fixtures, including Bayeux versus Marseille and PSG against Paris FC. Following these matches, the draw for the quarterfinals will take place live on beIN Sports. Ultimately, 14 teams have qualified for the next round, with Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 sides still competing for the prestigious Coupe de France title.