A clash between Gard players, matches to follow and undecided derbies… The 4th round of the Coupe de France promises to create sparks

Les joueurs de Sussargues recevront ceux de Rousson dimanche 15h au stade Jules Rimet Pascal Lefevre

Ce week-end, place à la Coupe de France avec une rencontre au sommet dans le Gard entre deux équipes de National 3, Aigues-Mortes et Alès, dimanche à 15h.

Le choc

The coincidence of the calendar often offers beautiful coincidences. This time the draw for the 4th round of the Coupe de France offered an enticing match between two Gard teams that play in group J of National 3 and will meet a week later on the same ground in the championship.

The Bourgidou stadium in Aigues-Mortes will host, this Sunday (3 p.m.) a clash between USSAM and Olympique Alès in Cévennes. Not sure that the coaches of the two teams will be happy to face an opponent of this caliber at a time of the competition where they could have come up against a weaker team. But for all those who will attend the meeting or follow it from afar, it is enticing.

Posters to follow

After the names of their clubs were announced one after the other during the draw, the managers of FC Vauvert (R1) and Stade Beaucairois (N3) were quick to call each other. More than a Gard derby, this match has the feel of a duel between friends: “We are very close to the Beaucaire club, it will be a special match, rejoices Vauvert coach Nabil Hammouch. We exchange regularly and I do not forget that its managers helped us when we needed it.”

For Vauvert, the match is also an opportunity to create an exploit after a successful start to the season in R1 with two wins in as many matches: “We are continuing the work accomplished with the rise this year to the regional level,” continues the Gard coach who faced Nîmes Olympique last year in the Coupe de France (1-4). We will have to play a big match to try to scratch something. We can count on our group of local players.”

At the same time, a match between two teams from Group A of Regional 1 will attract attention. AS Fabrègues, struggling in the championship, hosts Le Grau-de-Roi, still undefeated this season. After a great run last year (eliminated in the round of 32), will the Fabrèguois have the resources to take down a team that is a candidate for promotion to National 3?? Answer on Sunday at the end of the afternoon.

Balanced derbies

Several derbies will punctuate this weekend of the Coupe de France. First in the Gard where Aimargues receives Marguerittes at the Stade René Dupont, Saturday (5 p.m.). The locals, at the top of group A of R2, will be favorites against an opponent who has not yet won in the championship.

In the Hérault, the Castelnau-Le Crès and Lattes match, Saturday (7 p.m.) looks set to be undecided. The two teams playing in Group A of R2 will meet again the following week in the championship.

Sunday (3 p.m.), Montpellier Petit-Bard (R2) hosts Saint-André Sangonis (R3) : "I feel that the Coupe de France makes my players dream, these matches have a special taste, notes Petit Bard coach Mohamed Berrag. We want it to be a great celebration for the supporters and the club."

Sussargues like a Tom Thumb

Will the feat come from Sussargues ? Like last year at the same stage of the competition, the Hérault club receives Rousson (R2) but hopes that the outcome will be different (Rousson victory 3-1). “It will be a day of celebration in Sussargues, explains Damien Flores, the FCS coach who plays in Departmental 1. We are lucky to be hosting, the goal is to arrive without pressure, to be a free player and to have fun.”

Eleven Gardois and as many Héraultais

Among the 78 Occitan qualifiers for the 4th round of the Coupe de France, there are 11 Gard clubs and 11 Hérault clubs. The two departments have the largest number of teams at this stage of the competition behind Haute-Garonne with 18. There are also six clubs from the Pyrénées-Orientales, 5 from Aude and two from Ariège and none from Lozère, the only department of Occitanie not represented.

On the program

Saturday (4 p.m.): Castelnaudary (R2) – Agde (N3)
Saturday (5 p.m.): Aimargues (R2) – Marguerittes (R3)
Saturday (7 p.m.): Castelnau-Le Crès (R2) – Lattes (R2)
Sunday (3 p.m.): Fabrègues (R1) – La Grau-du-Roi (R1), Racing Perpignan (D1) – Frontignan (R1), Sussargues (D1) – Rousson (R2), Trèbes (R3) – Pérols (R3), Vauvert (R1) – Beaucaire (N3), Toulouse Bagatelle (D2) – Bagnols Pont (R2), Anduze (R3) – Lunel (R1), Petit Bard (R2) – Saint-André Sangonis (R3), Avenir Foot Catalan (D1) – Béziers (R1), Aigues-Mortes (N3) – Alès (N3), Claira-Saint-Laurent (R3) – Sumène (R3)

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