MATCH REPORT | Cannes 3-1 Guingamp: Friedkin Group-owned side pull off shock to reach Coupe de France semi-finals | OneFootball

Coupe de France, Quarter-finals, 25/02/25

Fourth-tier sie AS Cannes pulled off a shock, beating Ligue 2 highfliers EA Guingamp (3-1) to reach the semi-finals of the Coupe de France.

The Match

Amine Hemia had the first chance of the match as his speculative long-range effort caught out Fabio Vanni and struck the Cannes bar. But it was Cannes, on the break, who looked the most dangerous throughout the first half. Chafik Abbas, one of the prominent figures of this extraordinary Coupe de France run, used his blistering pace to get in behind and forced a big save from Babacar Niasse, but he wasn’t equal to an effort from Abbas just moments later. The winger’s curled effort from the edge of the box caught Niasse unawares at his near post and he didn’t get a touch on it as Cannes took a deserved lead.

Les Cannois continued to push and saw an effort saved off the line but they wouldn’t be denied for long. Once again, Niasse was at fault. His distribution was poor throughout and, having come out to intercept, his pass was straight to a Cannes player and, the ball at the feet of Cedric Goncalves, he launched an ambitious effort from inside the centre-circle to beat a retreating Niasse.

Julien Domingues, the hero in the last round for Cannes, should have got on the scoreline himself before the break but with the goal at his mercy, his volleyed effort was mishit and Niasse could palm away the goal-bound effort. Having been all over their opponents for the first 45, Cannes were caught sleeping at the start of the second half. Less than 50 seconds after the return from the dressing rooms, the host’s lead was halved with Jacques Siwe heading into the far corner.

Vanni was then called into action to deny Domatien Gomis one-on-one but it was Cannes who got the next goal. Almike Moussa N’Diaye caught his centre-forward son his heels slightly with his through ball but Domingues got to it on the stretch, chipping Niasse.

Cannes weren’t over the line, as they were reminded when Severin Sabri Guendouz forced Vanni into a spectacular finger-tip save, but the Côte d’Azur side were dogged in their defending, limiting Guingamp to only a handful of half chances. “We’re in the semi-finals” rang around the Stade Pierre de Coubertin before the final whistle as the National 2 side book their place in the next round.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Cannes