Underdogs reizen 6000 kilometer en winnen in Frankrijk

Een van de mooiste underdog-verhalen die je deze week gaat lezen.

Although ‘domestic’ cannot really be used to describe French Football Federation side, JS Saint-Pierroise’s work this weekend. Based on the island of Reunion, a French department off the coast of East Africa, the club became the first-ever side from the island to reach the knockout stage of the French Cup.

They met Ligue 2 side, Niort some 6000 miles away from their hometown and caused an almighty upset. A 2-1 win for the islanders was the story of the weekend in France, as the leaders of the Reunion Premier League made their journey well worth it. Teams from Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Reunion, Saint Martin and Saint Pierre and Miquelon are able to compete in the Coupe de France, with Guiana side ASC Le Geldar the only previous club from overseas to reach this stage.

JS Saint-Pierroise, who Dmitri Payet once played for, have now made history by reaching the next round. What a story.