Six divisions separate Ligue 1’s AC Ajaccio and Brittany’s Quimperle FC of the local Division Superieure Elite’s Group A when they meet on Sunday in the Coupe de France’s round of 64. The Corsicans will be grateful for the draw as it offers them some respite from a miserable campaign so far.
Les Ours, still under the temporary leadership of Christian Bracconi, are dead last in Le Championnat at present and their points tally is yet to break into double figures. The Quimperlois, coached by Eric Gaillard, have been buoyed by the draw to face a top-tier side.
Stade Jean Charter will host the clash and, given Ajaccio’s horrendous league form of late, could be the venue for the biggest giant-killing act this season. Not only have Bracconi’s men not won a game since September, drawing just twice between then and now, they also exited the Coupe de la Ligue at the hands of fierce rivals SC Bastia.
Currently fourth in DSE Group A, just one point off the top of the table, Quimperle will fancy their chances of an upset by showing more fight and desire than a vulnerable ACA side. For the side who base their headquarters in a local bar, where everybody connected with the club convened for the round of 64 draw, this game is as big as they come.
To reach this point, the Finistere side have disposed of St Yvienne, Hermine Concarnoise, Pontivy Stade, Rostrenen and Ploermel in the fifth group of Coupe de France qualifying. After that, the minnows ousted Inzinzac Montagnar and Vignoc Hede Guipel to secure their place in the draw.
Ajaccio, despite being the Ligue 1 side, boast little pedigree in the competition themselves and a quarterfinal appearance in 1966 (when they were still in the second tier) is their record best showing to date.
It is their third season in Le Championnat and it looks like it may well be their last for some time. Club captain Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi is set to complete a mid-season move to the United States of America’s MLS, while troubled striker Adrian Mutu is to return to Romania, reflecting just how dire the situation is at the Stade Francois Coty currently.
Fabrizio Ravanelli was sacked in early November, following five consecutive defeats, and Ajaccio president Alain Orsoni is yet to name a permanent successor. Can Quimperle add insult to injury and dump the Corsicans out of the Coupe de France as well?
A convincing win for ACA could boost confidence ahead of the resumption of Ligue 1, but anything other than victory against the Bretons could have disastrous further consequences for Bracconi and his players.