'Never in wildest dreams': Fourth-tier team in French Cup stunner

BeSoccer 6 months ago 211
Hugo Boudin scored the winner in stoppage time. AFP

Fourth division Stade Briochin stunned top-flight Nice 2-1 to reach the French Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday with a performance the minnows' coach admitted was beyond his "wildest dreams".

Nice, fifth in Ligue 1 and chasing a place in Europe next season, were ahead in the tie thanks to Tom Louchet's 55th-minute effort.

However, Stade Briochin levelled in the 88th minute through Boubacar Diakhaby before Hugo Boudin scored the winner in stoppage time to send the Brittany club through to the last-eight for the first time.

"It's extraordinary. Even in our wildest dreams, we didn't imagine that," admitted coach Guillaume Allanou, who also doubles up as president and sporting director of the club.

"Clearly, we were dealing with very, very high level players, many of them internationals. "We absolutely had to be hyper-vigilant, hyper-focused on everything."

Mentioned in the news story

Coupe de France
Stade Briochin
H. Boudin
Tom Louchet