This could be feisty – a re-run of last year’s last 16 encounter which the Ligue 1 side won only on penalties. US Raon L’Etape are a CFA team with a wealth of cup previous, making the 16emes in 2009/10 and 2010/11 before their best-ever performance last term, and will be anxious to give the 4,000-capacity Stade Paul-Glasser another night to remember. Currently 11th in Group B and only 2 points above the red-zone, a battling performance in the Coupe de France could be just what the doctor ordered.
USR celebrate reaching the last 16 last season…
USR’s cup campaign so far has been a bit chaotic – they rolled over DHR’s Audun-le-Tiche 6-0, and District team Maxeville 1-0, before a match-up with DH’s Luneville in the 7th round. The home team got a 90th minute equaliser to force extra time, and then fell apart. USR’s Do Rosario got his second, and Louani their third, while Luneville had three men sent off and then another one injured, at which point (the 116th minute) the referee called off the game as there weren’t enough of the home team left on the pitch. After that, a 2-0 victory over the last remaining DOM team, US Sainte Marianne, which only involved one sending off, must have seemed a little dull. Do Rosario scored in that as well, as did Reinaldo Povoa, their top scorer in the league along with Samir Ketlas with four.
…and Bordeaux celebrate winning the competition
Bordeaux went on from their nervy moment against USR last season to win the Coupe de France, beating Evian 3-2 with a brace from Cheikh Diabate and another from Henri Saivet. This won them a place in the Europa League, where they were frankly appalling, finishing bottom of Group F, their only points coming from a 2-1 win over Apoel Nicosia at home. That little embarrassment can perhaps be forgotten, however, as they sit fourth in the table, on 31 points. There is a large gap above them to Lille on 40, and a number of teams nipping at their heels (St Etienne, Marseille, Nantes, Reims), but their form coming into the winter break was good, with four straight wins and finishing on a draw with OM. They are winning and scoring more than last season, when they got 40 goals (1.1 per game), putting them 16th in the attack-table – they have 27 already (1.4, joint 4th); Diabate with seven, the injured Jussie five, and Obraniak four.
With USR struggling in the league and having a couple of narrow escapes in the cup, this more dynamic Girondins side should prove too much for them to overcome. Their cup history, particularly the memories of last term, will however mean that Bordeaux cannot take anything for granted in this fixture.