The Saint-Pierroise Reunion Islanders (in white) were eliminated in overtime by Epinal, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, January 18, 2020. - JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN / AFP

This is called a particularly cruel end. The Saint-Pierroise Reunion Islanders, the last representatives of the regional level in the Coupe de France, were eliminated by Epinal (N2), Saturday, in the 16th finals. Reduced to ten to a quarter of an hour after the expulsion of their captain Michel Fontaine (15th), they resisted for a very long time, before cracking at the end of the extra time, on a goal scored in the 118th minute.

Le Petit Poucet ended up cracking ... The Reunion Islanders of JS Saint-Pierroise cash a fatal goal in the 118th minute which sends Epinal in the 8th final!

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- Eurosport.fr (@Eurosport_FR) January 18, 2020

La Saint-Pierroise, the first Reunion club to reach this level after eliminating Niort (Ligue 2) in the previous round, will not be the first overseas team to reach the 8th finals. But what a journey! The Saint-Pierrois joined the Metropolis three times, experiencing fatigue and thermal shock. Before Niort, they had left Thaon (N3), Jura Sud (N2).

In the stands of La Colombière, the 500 Reunion supporters gave their voices, even after the match, as if to salute this beautiful epic.

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Coupe de France: "For once, we are not talking about Reunion because of the sharks" ... joy on the island after the feat of Saint-Pierroise

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