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A Lilian Laslandes brace helped Bordeaux into the quarter-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue as they defeated Atlantic neighbours Nantes 3-1.
With Nice and Ajaccio keen to recruit the veteran striker when the transfer window opens, this may well prove to be Laslandes' last match for Les Girondins, but it was one he is sure to remember and will have greatly pleased Coach Ricardo.
The Brazilian trainer was frustrated with Saturday's goalless draw between these two sides in the League and told reporters that, "for me, this match isn't finished." It is now, of course, though there was a period in the second half when the outcome did not look clear at all.
Ricardo gave Uruguayan forward Edixon Perea a rare start in attack, and his faith was repaid by the opener in the 22nd minute, a diving header that gave the so-called 'Black Pearl' his first goal in France.
Les Canaris then tried to draw level through Emerse Faé and Frédéric Da Rocha, but both missed the target and 34-year-old Laslandes struck the first of his double by heading in Franck Jurietti's free-kick towards the end of the first period.
Instead of folding, however, Serge Le Dizet sent on Claudiu Keseru after the break and the young Romanian striker revitalised Les Canaris. Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé was forced into saves from Nicolas Savinaud and Mamadou Diallo, yet with 66 minutes gone he brought down Da Rocha in the area and could not keep out Diallo's spot-kick.
Nantes were on top by now and both Keseru and Savinaud went close with efforts, but the last word fell to Laslandes, who beat Mickaël Landreau from close-range to settle the result.
Joining Bordeaux in the last eight will be fellow top-flight side Nice, who overcame Ligue 2 leaders Sedan at the Stade du Ray. The visitors may well be pushing for promotion, but they have drawn their last four games and were immediately put under pressure by Frédéric Antonetti's charges.
Nice's dominance was finally translated into a goal by Cyril Rool on 19 minutes, and Sedan had no more luck putting attacks together after the break. It took a number of excellent saves from Patrick Regnault to keep the Wild Boars in the tie at all, yet there was nothing he could do to keep out Marama Vahirua's spectacular finish with 18 minutes remaining.
Ligue 2 will have at least one representative in the next round, though, after Guingamp defeated Caen 2-0 to confirm their return to form. Former Auxerre man Arnaud Gonzalez gave the Brittany club the lead after 29 minutes, but Caen fought back well and came close to equalising when Thierry Debes kept out a penalty from Yohann Eudeline.
Eudeline and Grégory Leca both had good chances after the interval as well, only for ex-Caen striker Cyril Watier to end the suspense with an arcing header three minutes from time.
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