Football: Amateurs Carquefou shock Marseille in French Cup 20/03/2008 00:00

Amateur side Carquefou pulled off one of the biggets upsets in French Cup history late Wednesday by defeating mighty Marseille 1-0

   PARIS, March 20, 2008  - Amateur side Carquefou pulled off one of the
biggets upsets in French Cup history late Wednesday by defeating mighty
Marseille 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals.
   Playing in Nantes' Beaujoire stadium as their own ground was too small, the
winning goal came from veteran Senegalese international Papa N'Doye after just
seven minutes.
   Marseille, who crashed out of the UEFA Cup in St Petersburg last week,
beseiged the minnows' goal for the rest of the game but were unable to get the
equaliser that would have saved them from humiliation.
   The fifth division side reached the quarter-finals for the first time in
their history having previously seen off second division Gueugnon and first
division high-flyers Nancy to get to the last 16.
   "It's just unbelievable - a crazy dream," N'Doye said.
   "When I saw I had the goal at my mercy, I just told myself to go for it and
afterwards I didn't know what to do."
   The defeat leaves Marseille with the sole consolation that they can still
secure a Champions League slot for next year.
   Belgian coach Eric Gerets played tribute to the Vendee (French Atlantic
coast) side saying that they had fought like lions to hold on to their lead.
   "We tried to play good football, but just could not manage it," he said.
   "What we saw tonight was the same Marseille that was eliminated from the
UEFA Cup, although given the gap in levels that existed between the teams this
is even more painful for us."
   Carquefou could be heading for more David versus Goliath challenges as also
through to the last eight were first division big guns Lyon and Bordeaux as
well as Paris St German who are struggling in the league but are always
dangerous in cup competition.
   The quarter-finals line-up was completed by Lorient, Amiens, Sedan and
Dijon.

AFP