Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
Toulouse hammered holders Nantes 5-1 in the French Cup final after scoring four first-half goals at the Stade de France to secure the club’s first major trophy on Saturday.
Defender Logan Costa and striker Thijs Dallinga both netted twice inside the opening 31 minutes, with forward Zakaria Aboukhlal adding a fifth in the second half.
Nantes had won consecutive finals in 1999 and 2000.
Toulouse’s only previous trophies came from winning Ligue 2 on three occasions, the last time in 2021-22.
Toulouse hammered holders Nantes 5-1 in the French Cup final after scoring four first-half goals at the Stade de France to secure the club’s first major trophy on Saturday.
Defender Logan Costa and striker Thijs Dallinga both netted twice inside the opening 31 minutes, with forward Zakaria Aboukhlal adding a fifth in the second half.
Nantes had won consecutive finals in 1999 and 2000.
Dallinga then made it 4-0 just after the half-hour mark when he netted from close range from a rebound.
Nantes, who are without a Ligue 1 win since mid-February and have yet to secure top-flight status for next season, made three halftime changes, introducing forwards Andy Delort and Ignatius Ganago with midfielder Samuel Moutoussamy.
They managed to pull a goal back with a penalty as midfielder Ludovic Blas fired into the roof of the net 15 minutes from time but Toulouse’s Aboukhlal wrapped up a one-sided victory by smashing home their fifth from distance.
Nantes, who are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference, had a fine run to the final having beaten Lens 2-1 in the quarter-finals and Olympique Lyonnais 1-0 in the semis.
Toulouse, 12th in the French top tier, beat Ligue 2 sides Rodez and Annecy in the quarters and last four respectively.
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