Rouen will host Valenciennes in the second quarterfinal of the Coupe de France. In the round of sixteen, Les Diables Rouges overcame Monaco and won the match on penalties (6-5). Les Atheniens defeated Saint-Priest by a slim margin (2-1).
Preview (Rouen vs. Valenciennes)
For the first time in a century, Rouen had made it to the quarterfinals of the Coupe de France. The Normandy team defeated two Ligue 1 rivals in Toulouse and Monaco on penalties. It has been full of drama and unexpected outcomes. The team led by Maxime D’Ornano has demonstrated proficiency in building plays from the back. Rouen has scored 17 goals in seven games this tournament because of their daring strategy. It has allowed them to generate many numerical advantages in the attack with wide overloads.
Although those strategies have worked for them in this competition, they haven’t produced many good results for them at home lately. Les Diables Rouges have only won one of their last five games in the tier three Championnat Nacional. It puts them nine points out of a promotion spot into Ligue 2. This team hasn’t advanced past the tournament’s semifinals in more than 80 years. Valenciennes, who are presently 15 points below the relegation line. They are at the bottom of the Ligue 2 standings and have had a terrible domestic season in 2023–24.
Their performances at the Coupe de France, where they made the quarterfinals for the first time since the 2011–12 campaign, have been one of their few bright spots this season. Although Ahmed Kantari’s team has dropped their last five away games on the domestic circuit, they have performed better in this competition, winning all four of their games played away from Valenciennes. Since the 2020–21 season, Les Atheniens has only lost once in their last nine away Coupe de France matches. However, they did lose 3–1 to Paris FC in the round of 64 last year.
Team News
Adon Gomis may also be out due to a torn cruciate ligament, and Ruffice Amede Kabongo will not be available for Rouen after rupturing his Achilles tendon in January. In their match against Monaco, Clement Bassin netted his third goal of the competition, paving the way for Leonard Aggoune to emerge victorious. The Rouen custodian denied Folarin Balogun and Magnes Akliouche from the penalty spot, advancing his team to the quarterfinals.
Five Valenciennes players—Joffrey Cuffaut, Souleymane Basse, Aymen Boutoutaou, Matthias Oyewusi, and Andrew Jung—kept their spots in the starting 11 after their round of 32 victory over Paris FC (2-1). In the round of 16, Jung and Sirine Doucoure scored goals, and Jean Louchet stopped three of the four shots he faced to secure the win.
Rouen 1-0 Valenciennes
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