Nice Rouen movement
Mion finishes with a cross towards Benkaïd, it does not find the FC Rouen attacker but the collective action was successful.
Benkaïd escapes the red card for a bad gesture
He takes a yellow card for an elbow on Masson after losing the ball following a defensive intervention from the Valenciennes player. It could clearly have been a red card as Benkaïd’s gesture was borderline, voluntary and outside the game.
Oyewusi against Sanson
The Nigerian striker had been launched well in depth. Only Sanson remained to stop him and the Rouen defender did it very well by reading Oyewusi’s dribble.
Woudenberg clears into touch
The VA defense is not taking any chances. Rouen has the ball in these first minutes of the second half.
Corner for VA
It doesn’t help, Aggoune pushes back from both points.
It’s back to Robert-Diochon
Valenciennes kicks off this second half having done the hard part, opening the score.
It’s the break in Rouen!
1-0 for Valenciennes, who opened the scoring thanks to Oyewusi. FC Rouen showed some good things and had a big equalizer, we will have to show more when we return from the locker room.
Mion tries his luck
The free kick isn’t struck very well and it’s pushed away, but Mion is there to take it back and try his luck. He comes up against the very grouped defense, it is countered.
Another good free kick from Rouen
It was on set pieces that the Normans obtained their best chances during these first 45 minutes. This is the perfect opportunity to equalize.
The center of Adil Abas!
It went well towards Benkaïd, a little jostled in the area, but in any case flagged in an offside position.
LOUCHET’S CRAZY PARADE!
IT WAS A 1-1 BALL FOR ROUEN! On a well-hit corner, the ball is deflected to the near post. Bouzamoucha throws himself without being able to push him into the goal, then Sanson takes the left and frames his shot but stumbles on Louchet who throws himself and saves with his knee and hand. It’s a miracle for Valenciennes.
Poor control of Loppy
A technical inaccuracy when there was a good ball to exploit. The symbol of what Rouen is missing at the moment: accuracy where it counts.
Rouen fails to increase the intensity
They did it during rare sequences at the start of the match or after the opening score, but they struggled to wrap up this match and put the VAFC defense in difficulty.
Missing Linguet completely
Too bad for Valenciennes, the collective action had led to a good shift but the right side completely missed his cross.
Rouen has already been led in the Coupe de France this season
This was already the case during the matches against Monaco and Toulouse, during the two previous rounds. Each time they knew how to come back.
Sy pushed
The referee says nothing, no free kick at the edge of the area for Rouen. But the Normans immediately tried to increase their intensity.
OYEWUSI OPENS THE SCORE WITH A HEAD!
VALENCIENNES TAKES THE ADVANTAGE! On a cross from the left, Oyewusi is the quickest in the area to place his head. From a not-so-obvious angle, he slips the ball between the goalkeeper and the near post, it’s perfect. 1-0!
Louchet’s close intervention
The Valencia goalkeeper could have been put in difficulty by a bell-shaped ball, but he ultimately handled it well.
Loppy goes deep!
He had passed but was caught by Woudenberg, who prevented him from going towards goal. Yellow card for the VA defender.
Ouadah active on his right side
But the Valencian defense remains very solid.
The dangerous center of Hamache
It was repelled twice by Rouen, but it came back to Valenciennes’ feet. The Northerners are doing well as they approach the Rouen surface.
Rouen comes out a little more
The first quarter of an hour was complicated for the third division team, things have been better for a few minutes.
This time it’s a good success for Rouen!
Cuffaut deflects the ball into the area, it hits Sanson at the far post. The Rouen defender is a little surprised and does not target his shot.
Big mistake from Hamache
His foot is very high on Ouadah. The referee gives him the first yellow of the match, and another interesting free kick for Rouen.
Good free kick from Rouen
It was poorly shot by Adil Abas, a shame because it was a good opportunity that should have been taken advantage of better.
New Valencia strike
The Northerners are gaining the upper hand, they are a little too free to strike even if for the moment they are not endangering the Rouen goalkeeper.
Oyewusi’s first strike
After a high recovery, the Valenciennes quickly put themselves in position and Oyewusi tried his luck. But his shot misses and is not dangerous.
Knockaert in a very free role
The Valencian striker plays quite low, in a very free playmaking role, obviously. He throws Oyewusi, it is rejected by FC Rouen.
The ball for the Rouennais
It is they who put their foot on the ball in these first minutes, with an initial offensive stopped by the Valencian defense.
Let’s go to the Robert-Diochon stadium!
The kick-off is given by FC Rouen in a sold-out venue, with a fervent crowd and a few smoke bombs lit a few minutes ago. FC Rouen, which has already eliminated Toulouse and Monaco, hopes to reach the last four of the Coupe de France.
Kick-off imminent
The opportunity to recall the evening’s compositions.
Rouen: Aggoune – Bouzamoucha, Sanson, Bassin – Sy, Benzia, Allée, Mion – Ouadah, Benkaid, Loppy.
Valenciennes: Louchet – Linguet, Cuffaut, Woudenberg, Basse – Bansé, Masson, Hamache – Knockaert, Doucouré, Oyewusi.
FC Rouen has already reached a semi-final
But at another time, in 1952. In a more recent period, Rouen’s last significant epic had led the team to a quarter-final, in 1999, for a defeat against Sedan.
Valenciennes has not seen the final four for 54 years
The last time was during the 1969-70 season. The Northerners were eliminated in the semi-final of the Coupe de France by FC Nantes. Since this epic, the VAFC has only reached the quarter-finals of the competition four times, including only once in the 21st century. Tonight is therefore a very special match.
Rouen, an N1 in the last four?
If FC Rouen qualifies this evening, it would ensure the presence of the N1 in the last four. But this would not be a big novelty: Versailles and the Albanian GF, semi-finalists in 2022 and 2021, were then playing in N2. In 2018, we even had a semi-final between two N1 clubs, Chambly and Les Herbiers.
The eleven of Valenciennes
The composition of Valenciennes: Louchet – Linguet, Cuffaut, Woudenberg, Basse – Bansé, Masson, Hamache – Knockaert, Doucouré, Oyewusi.
Substitutes:
Diabaté, Kayi Sanda, Foé Ondoa, Moursou, Boutoutaou, El Amri, Flamarion, Lilepo, Venema
The lineup of FC Rouen has fallen
Rouen’s eleven: Aggoune – Bouzamoucha, Sanson, Bassin – Sy, Benzia, Allée, Mion – Ouadah, Benkaid, Loppy.
Valenciennes did not have a very big piece on its way
Red lantern of Ligue 2, and very poorly engaged in its battle for maintenance, the VAFC for its part had a slightly quieter journey, leaving during the rounds before Haguenau, Mulhouse, Sarreguemines, Paris FC and the AS Saint-Priest.
FC Rouen with two huge performances
Currently 8th in National, Rouen released two Ligue 1 teams during this 2023-2024 edition of the Coupe de France. Toulouse in 16th, then Monaco in 8th. Each time on penalties.
Evening shift at Robert-Diochon
Good evening everyone ! After OL’s qualification for the semi-finals on Tuesday, the second quarter-final of the Coupe de France pits National’s Rouen against Ligue 2 side Valenciennes this Wednesday evening. Kick-off at 9 p.m.