For sure, the bright red light of the smoke bombs must have been visible from King Louis XIV’s bedroom. Whatever, the Versailles had a historic qualification for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France to celebrate! They were several hundred in front of the giant screen, installed on the market square, to encourage their team against Bergerac, in the shock of the little thumbs in the quarter-finals of the oldest national competition.
Supporters who vibrated on the opening of the Versailles score by Inza Diarrassouba (14th), who were then disillusioned after the expulsion of Christopher Ibayi (79th) and the Bergerac equalizer at the end of added time. But they always believed in their team, until the famous penalty shootout, won 5 to 4.
Smoke bombs, fireworks and “we are in half”
The last shot on goal from Waly Diouf in the back of the net and it’s the explosion. Fireworks are launched, smoke bombs are lit and “we are in half” are chanted. Collective hysteria wins a city who, usually, vibrates for everything except football. “It’s incredible! I don’t usually watch football, but this was 90 minutes of pure pleasure“, gets carried away a young Versailles at the microphone of France Bleu Paris. “I played for FC Versailles when I was little, it makes me very emotional” adds one of his comrades.“
In the crowd, there were football fans, FC Versailles licensees, but also Versailles people who were not interested in football, like Olympe. “I watch football a little, sometimes with my father. But there, I let myself be carried away by the atmosphere, it was great, we are proud to be from Versailles, congratulations to the players“, she says at the microphone of France Bleu Paris.
Supporters who wanted to thank the heroes of the evening: “A big bravo, congratulations, thank you for taking us so high!“, enthuses Nicolas. “Give everything for the semi-final, even if it seems unlikely, we have to do it, we believe in it!” A semi-final against, finally, a Ligue 1 team, OGC Nice. It will take a new royal exploit, on March 2, to hope for a coronation at the Stade de France.