PARIS — In a surprising turn of events during the French Cup on Wednesday, amateur club Bourgoin-Jallieu triumphed over the five-time champions Lyon in a dramatic penalty shootout. This unexpected victory secured Bourgoin-Jallieu a spot in the round of 16, prompting enthusiastic celebrations from their fans, which included a pitch invasion.

Meanwhile, defending champions Paris Saint-Germain faced a challenging match against another amateur team, Espaly. The game remained tightly contested until the 88th minute when Bradley Barcola finally found the back of the net to put PSG ahead. Gonçalo Ramos then added another goal in stoppage time, helping PSG to achieve a 4-2 victory.

PSG’s quest for a record-extending 16th cup title continues, but the journey was not without its challenges. The team fell behind early when they conceded a goal just three minutes into the match. However, young star Warren Zaïre-Emery quickly equalized. Later in the match, after Désiré Doué gave PSG a brief 2-1 lead, Maxence Fournel’s equalizer in the 70th minute left the outcome in suspense until the end.

Since 2009, PSG has maintained a strong record against lower-division teams in this competition, making this match against Espaly another test of their resilience. In contrast, Bourgoin-Jallieu remained locked in a 2-2 draw with Lyon at the end of regular time, which led them to the penalty shootout where the pressure was palpable.

Despite missing his own penalty, goalkeeper Ronan Jay expressed his team’s joy at the victory, stating on beIN Sports, “We play football for this. It will stay with us for life; it’s unbelievable.” These sentiments echoed the excitement experienced by the Bourgoin-Jallieu supporters as they celebrated this monumental moment in their club’s history.

While Bourgoin-Jallieu plays in the fifth tier of French football, Lyon boasts an illustrious history with seven league titles and five cup crowns. The game itself saw Mehdi Moujetzky score both goals for Bourgoin-Jallieu, giving his team the initial lead and later leveling the score at 2-2 after Lyon had surged ahead through goals from Nemanja Mati? and Georges Mikautadze.

This historic win for Bourgoin-Jallieu not only highlights the excitement of cup competitions but also emphasizes the unpredictable nature of soccer, where underdogs can occasionally claim significant victories against more established clubs.