Perpignan (AFP)

End of the adventure for Canet-en-Roussillon.

The beautiful course in the Coupe de France for amateurs of National 2, the equivalent of the fourth division, ended Tuesday evening in the quarter-finals against Montpellier (2-1), yet quickly led and reduced to ten.

The Catalan club, whose championship was stopped in the fall due to the pandemic, failed to repeat their feat of the round of 16 in early March against Olympique de Marseille, another resident of Ligue 1.

But he comes out of the competition with his head held high after a more balanced game than the three divisions between the two teams could have let him expect.

The Hérault residents reached the semi-finals of the Cup for the first time since 1997. They then lost to Guingamp (2-0 ap).

In the Brutus stadium in Perpignan, the usual haunt of the Catalan Dragons, the local rugby union team, Canet Roussillon FC have long believed they could once again create a surprise after the double sanction imposed on Montpellier captain Vitorino Hilton in the 25th minute.

Caught up in speed by Jean Vercruysse following an unfortunate loss of the ball, the 43-year-old Brazilian defender threw his opponent into the box.

Result: direct red card and penalty, transformed by midfielder Toufik Ouadoudi with the help of the post.

Rejuvenated by this goal, the Catalans, in the wake of Yohan Baï again untenable after scoring in the two previous rounds against OM and Boulogne-sur-Mer (National), missed the break just before half-time .

And the professional neighbor finally managed in two stages to change the course of this Occitan derby thanks to Anthony Delort, first well served in depth at the hour mark before scoring from the penalty spot, with a flat foot serene, in the 84th minute.

The Coupe de France represents for Montpellier, eighth in L1 six lengths from fifth place, its best chance to play Europe next season.

On the other hand, the season of the Canétois is now over.

There will still be an amateur club in the last four since Rumilly-Vallières, who also plays in National 2, earlier beaten Toulouse (Ligue 2) 2-0 in the first quarter-final.

The two remaining will only pit residents of Ligue 1 on Wednesday: Paris SG-Angers and Lyon-Monaco.

© 2021 AFP