After 7,000km trip, Golden Lion are mauled 12-0 in French Cup

With temperatures just above zero in the northern French city, the side from Saint Joseph, a town of 16,000 on the sunny island, could be said to have caught cold with the mercury hitting 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) back home.

Golden Lion operate in a regional league in the French league's sixth tier, while six-time French Cup winners Lille sit fourth in the top flight but Lille coach Paulo Fonseca still fielded his strongest line-up.

Lille quickly ran riot with both Edon Zhegrova and Jonathan David bagging hat-tricks and Yusuf Yazici and Hakon Haraldsson scoring braces. Tiago Santos and Amine Messoussa also added to the scoreline.

The Island outfit had Martinique national 'keeper Gilles Meslien in goal but the 34-year-old will escape any blame as the five-time Martinique champions also failed to register a shot on his opposite number Lille stopper Lucas Chevalier's goal.

 

January 6, 2024