They were still in their locker room, just out of the shower, after eliminating Chartres (N2, 2-1), a division above them. Their coach Stéphane Malloyer had installed a screen and, when they saw Frédéric Déhu on TV showing the little paper “Olympique de Marseille”, the US Chauvigny players exploded with joy, in a euphoria even greater than that of qualification, a few moments earlier. “He really is Santa Claus before his time, exults the 51-year-old coach. It’s a huge thing for the club, even if we don’t yet know in which stadium we will receive them. There is still a gap (4 divisions apart) but it’s fabulous. We were already hoping for a big one before shooting Chartres. But we had taken Chartres, and so we had to pass. Here is a culmination. »
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Malloyer is the only one at the club to have rubbed shoulders with this level one day: he had experienced the greatest emotion of his playing career with the neighboring club of SO Châtellerault when, alongside Stéphane Moulin in particular, he had brought down, on February 12 1994, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France already, FC Metz of Robert Pires and Jacques Songo’o (3-1 after), scoring the second goal in extra time. No one has the slightest experience at this level in their group, and it is also the first time in their history that US Chauvigny has reached this stage of the competition.
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The exploit of the Poitevins dates from the 8th round: they had eliminated Le Havre, a Ligue 2 club, on penalties. Fourth in its National 3 group – where the Girondins de Bordeaux reserve is located – the US Chauvigny therefore got rid of Chartres on Sunday, whose coach is Jean-Pierre Papin. The 1991 Ballon d’Or may have brought luck to fans, who will start the year 2022 by hosting one of the biggest French clubs, OM, that of the splendor of “JPP”.
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