Soccer Team Endures 8,600-Mile Journey, Suffers Devastating 12-0 Loss in Coupe de France
Soccer club endures grueling 8,600-mile journey from Martinique to France, only to face a devastating 12-0 defeat in the Coupe de France
The recent trip to northern France proved to be anything but restful for Golden Lion FC, a soccer club from the small island nation of Martinique. Despite being drubbed 12-0 by Ligue 1 club Lille in its French Cup match on Saturday, the subsequent scenes in the Stade Pierre-Mauroy highlighted the importance of the journey over the destination.
Golden Lion originates from Saint-Joseph, a town in the Caribbean nation with an approximate population of 396,000 people. The team, representing Martinique, was chosen to participate in the Coupe de France draw alongside other teams from French territories overseas. According to Reuters, the team commenced their journey with a direct flight to Paris, covering a round trip of over 8,600 miles. Following their arrival, they made their way to the northern city of Lille, situated near the French-Belgian border.
Golden Lion supporters could be seen throughout the stadium in good spirits ahead of the match, including one trombone player, and the players took to the pitch in earnest.
Yusuf Yazıcı scores his team's first goal against Golden Lion FC.
Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty Images
Lille wasted no time in starting the goalfest, with Yusuf Yazıcı opening the scoring in the 11th minute. Golden Lion kept it competitive until the 25th minute when Jonathan David scored his first goal of the night. Edon Zhegrova scored a hat-trick in just nine minutes, and both David and Yazıcı added another goal, making it 7-0 at half-time.
Lilles biggest win in club history came in the second half as Les Dogues scored another five goals, with David finishing off his hat-trick, making it 12-0 at the full-time whistle.
Jonathan David (right) celebrates one of his goals with fellow hat-trick hero Edon Zhegrova.
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Despite suffering a significant loss, the Golden Lion players and fans were still able to savor the moment and appreciate the rare opportunity to face one of the top five sides in France. Following the match, the Lille players paid tribute to the Golden Lion squad with a guard of honor, and they departed the pitch with smiles on their faces, proud of their effort.
Following the game, Lille manager Paulo Fonseca emphasized the importance of showing maximum effort to respect both the Martinique-based side and their own fans.
"We aimed to play a committed match, which was our primary objective. Respecting our opponents and the fans was vital. It was crucial to bring intensity to the game," Fonseca stated. "Ultimately, the priority was to secure a win and qualify. Today, we showcased a strong performance, pressing hard and creating numerous chances. Our approach was very professional."
While the scoreline will be something Lille fans will never forget, the Golden Lion squad and their supporters are sure to always remember the trip - and back - to Northern France.
