Lorient struck by Calais curse

Djezon Boutoille was the hero as perennial giant-killers Calais RUFC caused yet another French Cup upset, beating Ligue 1 FC Lorient 2-0 to join the likes of Olympique de Marseille, RC Lens and FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in the last 32.

Familiar story
Finalists in 2000, fourth division Calais reached the quarter-finals last season before their run was ended by FC Nantes Atlantique. It was the fourth time since their final appearance that Sylvain Jore's side had progressed beyond the first round, and Boutoille helped make it five as the former LOSC Lille Métropole man proved too strong for Lorient. He broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark to set up a tense encounter before sealing victory with his second with 14 minutes remaining.

Rennes upset
ES Troyes Aube Champagne also lost to lowly opposition and there was another upset at Stade Rennais FC, where Xavier Dudoit and Ali Hadjeres scored extra-time goals as third division outfit SO Romorantin prevailed 3-1. Toulouse FC needed penalties to defeat Romorantin's league rivals SO Châtellerault, after their meeting ended 1-1 after 120 minutes. Class told as they triumphed 4-3 but, in terms of excitement, even that paled in comparison to the tie between Lens and AS Nancy-Lorraine at Stade Marcel-Picot as the visitors eventually won 9-8 on penalties.

Lens thriller
That only tells half the story, as with 20 minutes of normal time remaining, Lens had found themselves chasing a 3-1 deficit with ten men following Issam Jeema's dismissal soon after half-time. Arune Dindane gave the side hope from the penalty spot before teenage striker Kevin Monnet-Paquet forced extra time with a last-gasp equaliser. Adama Coulibaly then sealed a surprise win in the shoot-out after goalkeeper Sébastien Chabbert had saved from Nancy's Pascal Berenguer.

Auxerre defeated
Sochaux beat AS Saint-Etienne 3-1 in the other all-Ligue 1 tie, to join AS Monaco FC, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, Lille, Valenciennes FC and Nantes in the draw for the last 32. Marseille will also be there after fit-again Djibril Cissé notched up a hat-trick in a 4-1 extra-time triumph against amateur side AC Cambrai. Another man who may feel he has something to prove, Arnaud Gonzalez, was on target at former side AJ Auxerre as Ligue 2 strugglers Chamois Niort FC won on penalties, while on Friday, OGC Nice needed extra time to edge a 2-1 victory against US Creteil-Lusitanos.