Just over a year after their last attempt to voyage into the latter stages of the Coupe de France ended in expulsion from the tournament, Paris FC advanced to the last-32 on Friday night following a 3-1 win over Valenciennes.
In December 2021, Paris FC's last-64 tie with Lyon was abandoned with the score at 1-1 after supporters began to run amok during the half-time pause.
Players from both teams were kept inside the dressing rooms as fans lit flairs in the stands and rampaged along the running track around the pitch at the Stade Charlety.
Lyon bosses said after the game that hooligans from Paris Saint-Germain’s fan clubs had infiltrated the packed stadium on the southern fringes of Paris and provoked the Lyon supporters.
Paris FC chiefs claimed that Lyon’s fans had travelled to the capital intent on wreaking havoc among the 17,000 spectators.
The ugly scenes - just days after the government had convened a top level meeting to thrash out a plan to curb violence at football grounds - led to the ejection of both sides from the tournament.
Nice, who were scheduled to play the winners in the last-32, advanced to the last-16.
This season's sixth round - delayed due to the World Cup in Qatar - was a more sedate affair with a couple thousand fans in the stands to watch two Ligue 2 outfits vying for another chance to lift the second most prestigious piece of silverware in the French football firmament.
Valenciennes dominated the opening stages forcing three corners in the first 15 minutes.
Merit
Though they bore no fruit, it was another incursion from the left that led to the opening after 16 minutes.
Paris FC's Loup Diwan Gueho handled in the penalty area and Valenciennes midfielder Jason Berthomier converted the ensuing spot kick low into the left hand corner of Vincent Demarconnay's goal.
It was no more than the visitors deserved for their bright start.
The hosts gained parity in similar fashion just before the half hour mark.
Warren Caddy thrashed his penalty high to the right of the Valenciennes goalkeeper Yored Hillel Konaté.
From there, the hosts romped.
Four minutes after the restart, Mehdi Chahiri established the lead and Paris FC extended their advantage mid way through the half when Morgan Guilavogui slickly slotted past Konaté to finish off a counterattack.
⚽ 69' l 𝐄𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐢𝐢𝐢𝐢𝐢𝐢𝐢 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐚 !
— Paris FC (@ParisFC) January 6, 2023
Bien servi par Alimami Gory, @MorganGuila inscrit le troisième but des Parisiens 😍 !
3⃣-1⃣ #PFCVAFC pic.twitter.com/7AMYb3xisD
Though 20 minutes remained, the strike effectively killed off Valenciennes who appeared to accept their fate.
Elsewhere in the competition on Friday night, second tier Pau saw off Ligue 1 Montpellier 2-1 and Grenoble edged past Nimes 1-0.
The all-Ligue 1 clash between Strasbourg and Angers went to penalties after a 0-0 draw. Angers claimed the shootout 5-4.
The Coupe de France continues on Saturday and Sunday. Holders Nantes begin the defence of their crown at fifth division Vire.
Nantes boss Antoine Kombouaré warned his players not to underestimate their opponents.
"I think that our performances last year can inspire the other teams," he said in an interview with the newspaper Ouest-France.
"We must take things very seriously, to do the best possible to win. We must try to score as many goals as possible and gain confidence."
