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Sports / Football

Islanders win French Cup tie -- 9,000km from home

Published: 05 Jan 2020 - 03:40 am | Last Updated: 16 Nov 2021 - 04:48 pm

AFP

Paris:  JS Saint-Pierroise on Saturday became only the second overseas-based team to win a French Cup knockout tie and it was achieved playing more than 9,000km from home.

The club, based on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, and which once boasted the talents of current Marseille star Dimitri Payet, defeated second-division Niort 2-1 in the round of 64.

An overseas side has only once before achieved a similar feat when Geldar FC of French Guiana made the round of 16 in the 1988-1989 season.

On Saturday, Saint-Pierroise's goals were scored by Gerard Hubert and Ryan Ponti, both in the second half.

The home team's reply also came courtesy of a visiting player when Gervais Randrianarisoa put through his own goal just after the hour mark in the game played at Niort, which sits to the north of Bordeaux.