There were a number of top flight casualties in the Coupe de France on Saturday, but Joe Cole inspired cup holders Lille to a big win.
Lille and Marseille ease through as Lorient and Sochaux bow out
There were a number of top flight casualties in the Coupe de France on Saturday, but Joe Cole inspired cup holders Lille to a big win.
Brest, Lorient, Sochaux and Caen were among those to bow out, while Nancy and St Etienne came unstuck against Ligue 1 rivals.
Lille showed no pity to French minnows
Chantilly, with Cole netting a hat-trick as the reigning champions surged to a 6-0 success.
Marseille were also in a free-scoring mood and Jordan Ayew bagged a brace as they swept aside
Red Star 5-0.
Brest were the first top flight side to suffer a humbling setback against lower league opponents, with third tier
Niort claiming an impressive 2-0 victory on home soil.
Lorient followed closely after, with Yohann Riviere grabbing a late winner for Ligue 2 side
Le Havre as they edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3.
There were no such problems for
Dijon in the day's early kick-off as they brushed past
Versailles 5-1 on the road.
Success
Nice also enjoyed mid-afternoon success, with goals from Luciano Monzon and Esmael Goncalves helping them past
Marck.
Auxerre did not have things all their own way against
Chambly and required an extra-time goal to see them safely through to the next round.
Ajaccio fared considerably better against third division opposition, with a 3-0 victory seeing Ligue 1's bottom club into the last 32 at
Frejus' expense.
Sochaux suffered a surprise defeat on their travels, with
Bastia running out comfortable 4-1 winners.
The gulf in class between
Rennes and
Nancy was apparent as the Ligue 1 high-fliers wrapped up a 3-0 victory inside the first half against their lowly top tier rivals.
Caen recovered from falling two goals behind to take
Troyes to extra-time, but they then conceded twice more to tumble out of the competition.
St Etienne and
Bordeaux were involved in the evening's latest finish, with the visitors prevailing 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out at Stade Geoffrey-Guichard.
