Tefana have travelled to France to play Olympique Noisy le Sec while Magenta have welcomed Trelissac to the Pacific, with their match set to take place in Noumea.
It’s not Noisy le Sec’s first encounter with a Tahitian side, with coach Nasser Sandjak recalling a previous visit to Tahiti to play AS Venus more than 10 years ago.
‘’We were lucky to have played in Papeete more than 10 years ago and I remember we had a really warm welcoming. We will do the same on our side to welcome Tefana,’’ he says.
Goalkeeper for AS Venus at the time, OFC Technical Director Patrick Jacquemet has fond memories of the match.
‘’I remember it was a difficult game. We were leading 1-0 but Noisy equalised in the last 10 minutes to secure extra time. Unfortunately for us, the extra time was too much and in the end we lost 4-1.
‘’But now remembering how things happened, we could have won that game. We created a lot of opportunities to score.”
Former Algeria coach Sandjak knows it won’t be an easy game against the Tahitian team but hopes luck will be on his side.
‘’I am not waiting for an easy game. All I hope is to see a good game with a good spirit and a win for Noisy,’’ he says.
Tefana are currently leading the Ligue 1 Mana championship, Tahiti’s national league, in which they remain undefeated, while the east Paris-based club are leading Championnat de France Amateur (CFA) 2 (5th Division).
Technical assistant Pascal Vahirua says Tefana are a side that have dominated domestic football via the Polynesian Cup over the years.
“Tactically and technically, we have a team that can win,” he says.
Captain Alvin Tehau is ready for the encounter, but certainly not the projected eight degrees celsius.
“Start of the match, we have the ball and we score. I think the whole team is prepared, they’re ready to go right until the final whistle,” he says.
“We will see if we can pull something off.”
Over in New Caledonia the Coupe de Calédonie champions Magenta will face their CFA opponents at Stade Numa Daly on November 15.
For Magenta coach Alain Moizan, himself a former Coupe de France winner with AS Monaco in 1980, little will change for the team with the knockout match looming.
“We won’t deviate from the norm in terms of our preparations, in any case practically all the players work full time so it’s impossible to prepare for this encounter in any other way, outside of our regular training sessions,” Moizan says.
“We already need to be individually faultless if we want to progress, both focused and determined.”
Moizan says the encounter is somewhat of a “bonus match” for his side in the midst of the domestic season.
“Obviously we will be playing to win, to represent our club and the image of Caledonian football to the best of our ability in France,” he continues.
“It is a great opportunity for our players to get a gauge on metropolitan football.”
For the visitors, Trelissac, the objective is to win.
“The journey was long and it’s been difficult, recovery isn’t easy and on top of that is the climate change,” says coach Zivko Slikjepcevic.
“We’re expecting a tricky encounter with Magenta playing at home, and their public behind him. It will be hot and the match could last more than 90 minutes – all this context is important.
“But it’s also the charm of the Coupe de France.”
And it’s that same charm that Jacquemet remembers so well from his time in the competition.
‘’A Coupe de France game is always special. When Tahiti and New Caledonia teams enter Round 7 they play against stronger opponents who are semi-professional or professionals. It is a good experience for the players.
‘’You push yourself harder to show you are capable to win against a team from a higher division,’’ Jacquemet says.
Magenta know the feeling to qualify for Round 8 very well with their best finish coming in 2010 when they advanced to Round 8 of the competiton – the first and only time a New Caledonia club has achieved this.
They have made eight appearances in the famed Coupe de France between 1994 and 2011.
Now, AS Magenta have once again returned to the domestic form that has seen them make eight previous appearances in this competition and they are keen for a special performance to reward their loyal local supporters.
It won’t be an easy encounter for coach Alain Moizan’s side, with their opponent currently sitting fourth in Group D of the CFA, and on a path to secure promotion to National (Division 3).
COUPE de FRANCE – Round 7
AS Magenta vs FC Trélissac (CFA)
Samedi 15 novembre
Stade Numa Daly
Kick-off : 3pm (local time)
Olympique Noisy le Sec (CFA 2) vs AS Tefana
Saturday 15 November
Stade Salvador Allende
Kick-off : 8pm (local time)

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