Nîmes continue cup fairy tale

By Chris Burke

Third division Nîmes Olympique's incredible French Cup odyssey continued into the semi-finals after they edged out FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in a seven-goal thriller, while AJ Auxerre narrowly squeezed past fourth division US Boulogne, 2-1.

Sochaux response
Nîmes have now taken four top-flight scalps at the Stade des Costières this season, yet at 3-1 down with 18 minutes left, they looked to have finally met their match in Sochaux. Ulrick Chavas had given the minnows a 23rd-minute lead, but the response from their Ligue 1 opponents was rapid, with Mohamed Kader hitting two first-half goals to put the away team in front.

Verschave winner
Brazilian striker Ilan then seemed to have killed off the tie with the visitors' third after the restart, but Eloge Enza-Yamissi gave Nîmes hope from close range in the 72nd minute and Moïse Kandé headed in to take the tie into extra time. The noisy home crowd urged their heroes on and, in the final minute of the first period, Mathias Verschave's speculative cross deflected in off Sylvain Monsoreau to spark scenes of jubilation.

Grichting equaliser
Another shock seemed to be on the cards at RC Lens's Stade Félix-Bollaert, where amateur side Boulogne were leading Ligue 1 giants Auxerre until added time. Vincent Ehouman had volleyed the Picardy outfit in front 15 minutes from time, but Guy Roux's men kept themselves alive in the competition when Stéphane Grichting stabbed the ball in after Benjani Mwaruwari's header had come back off the bar.

Fitness levels
Auxerre's superior fitness level began to tell as the tie went into an additional 30 minutes, and substitute Luigi Pieroni put an end to Boulogne's hopes by firing in the winner seven minutes into the first extra period. Along with Nîmes, he and his team-mates join yesterday's winners AS Monaco FC and CS Sedan-Ardennes in the last four.