Aiming to be one of the lowest-ranked teams to make the Coupe de France last eight, AS Cannes and Dives-Cabourg clash in the competition's round of 16 at Stade Pierre de Coubertin on Wednesday.
The hosts, a fourth-tier side, are favourites to advance to a first quarter-final match for the first time in 11 years at the expense of a club enjoying its deepest run in the domestic cup this season.
Match preview
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Cannes may have produced prominent French talents like Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Gael Clichy, but the Dragons are a fourth-tier side these days, having last played in Ligue 1 in the 1997-98 campaign.
Since that season, Les Dragons made the Coupe de France last eight once, in the 2013-14 season, before losing 2-0 to Guingamp.
Now managed by Damien Ott, the National 2 side aim to return to that stage, keen to continue an impressive run that has seen them outdo Ligue 2 sides in consecutive rounds, beating Grenoble Foot 38 (3-2) in the last 64 and Lorient (2-1) in the previous round to set up a match-up with Wednesday's opponent.
Having entered the imminent domestic cup round on a 13-match undefeated run in all competitions, winning 10 during the ongoing run, fans of the home side will back their team to extend that run to 14 against Dives-Cabourg.
Unlike their hosts, this is all new to the National 3 side, who have benefitted from favourable draws since the opening round.
Philippe Clement's men defeated Saint-Lo Manche on penalties in their tournament opener, before making the most of home ties against Dragon, Saint-Denis and Le Puy Foot in the subsequent three rounds, sealing 6-1, 2-0 and 1-0 triumphs respectively.
Of those opponents, only Le Puy are a division above Dives-Cabourg, with Saint-Lo Manche also a National 3 side, AS Dragon a Tahiti-based club and Saint-Denis from Reunion Island.
Thus, it will be fascinating to see how Clement's men fare against Ott's in-form side, as they aim to continue this season's groundbreaking run to the last 16.
Although the National 3 club enter this week's fixture on a four-match sequence without losing, including their success in the previous round over Le Puy, 50% of said matches have been drawn and the absence of clean sheets is worrisome before travelling to Cannes.
Team News
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Having come up trumps for Cannes with a brace against Lorient in the previous round to set up this week's contest with Dives-Cabourg, Chafik Abbas seeks to add to his Coupe de France tally in midweek.
Nevertheless, the onus is on Julien Domingues to carry the National 2 side into the quarters, following his four goals in the 5-1 triumph over Olympique d'Ales in November and a brace in the 3-2 success over Grenoble in December.
Alban Bekombo has netted four goals for Dives-Cabourg during their run to the last 16, including a brace in the 6-1 win over Dragon in Round 8, and the forward aims to add to his cup tally on Wednesday.
Also pivotal to the home side's attack is Theo Fontaine, who has netted twice for Ott's side, including the opener in the 2-0 round of 64 success over Saint-Denis and could add to his tally against the National 2 side.
AS Cannes possible starting lineup:
Vanni; Vinci, Smith, Abderrahmane; N'Doye, N'Diaye; Abbas, Hafidi, Mambu, Fischer; Domingues
Dives-Cabourg possible starting lineup:
Verrier; Becherel, Suzanne, Tbahriti, Tiehi; Botuly; Jeanne, Fontaine, Thoris, Wakil; Bekomo
We say: AS Cannes 2-1 Dives-Cabourg
Although Dives-Cabourg have done commendably to reach the last 16, they could come unstuck against the 1932 cup champions, who are backed to extend their run without losing to 14 in all competitions, thus making the last eight for the first time since the 2013-14 season.
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