Dramatic Upsets and Big Wins Mark Coupe de France 8th Round

The 8th round of the Coupe de France saw a mix of commanding victories and nail-biting finishes as clubs battled for a spot in the 32nd finals. Saint-Etienne delivered a stunning performance, crushing Régional 3 side Ecotay-Moingt 11-1. New Zealand forward Ben Old netted four goals, while 18-year-old Nadir El Jamali added two more, underscoring Saint-Etienne’s dominant form. Meanwhile, Bordeaux orchestrated an incredible comeback, overturning a 0-3 halftime deficit to win 4-3 against Mazères, with Matthieu Villette scoring twice and Ruben Droehnlé and Steve Shamal contributing to the resurgence.

Other Ligue 2 teams such as Montpellier, Reims, Amiens, Laval, Dunkerque, Guingamp, and Le Mans advanced successfully. Conversely, the 8th round spelled elimination for Red Star, Rodez, and Pau. Red Star exited after a penalty shootout loss to Biesheim, Rodez was defeated 0-1 by Canet, and Pau lost by the same scoreline against Mérignac.

Notable underdog stories included Blois Foot 41's dramatic 7-6 penalty shootout win over SO Romorantin following a 2-2 draw. Blois Foot's coach Kévin Pradier described the half-time situation as "catastrophic" but praised their second-half resilience. In another tough encounter, La Saint-Pauloise (R1) suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat at the hands of Stade Lavallois (L2), with Laval capitalizing early on defensive errors and maintaining dominance throughout. The match was described by experts as a "cataclysm," emphasizing the gulf between professional and amateur levels.

US Granville's hopes were dashed in a penalty shootout against Montreuil, despite an early lead from Kylian Silvestre. Montreuil, two divisions lower in Regional 1, converted all four penalties while Granville missed two, leading to their elimination amid recent struggles and a coaching change. Périgny also progressed with a solid 3-1 win over Beaucouzé, maintaining their lead despite a mid-match free-kick goal from Amer.

With Ligue 1 clubs set to enter the competition in the next round, the Coupe de France promises even more thrilling matches and high-stakes drama ahead.