Golden Lion: Martinique football team travels 8,000 miles to lose 12-0 at Lille in French cup
A football team from Martinique which made an 8,000 mile (12,900km) round-trip to play a cup tie in France lost the match 12-0.
Golden Lion are the reigning champions on the island, an overseas region of France in the Caribbean, and one of several teams from outside the country to enter the French cup.
Unfortunately for them, they were drawn against Lille, from Ligue 1, the French first division, in the round of 64.
And there was no fairytale upset, as Lion failed to roar, getting mauled 12-0 by the former French champions in Saturday’s game.
They conceded seven goals before half-time, including four in nine minutes towards the end of the first half.
Jonathan David and Edon Zhegrova both scored hat-tricks in a record win for the hosts at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Golden Lion did manage one shot on goal, but Lille had 37 efforts.
The visitors’ lengthy journey to northern France began on Wednesday with a direct flight to Paris.
They had plenty of time to reflect on the defeat – on their 4,000 mile (6,400km) journey home.
After the full-time whistle, the Lille players gave the Golden Lion stars a guard of honour as they made their way off the pitch, The Sun said.
Martinique is an island of 436 square miles (1,128 square km) with a population of 364,508, in the Lesser Antilles, in the eastern Caribbean Sea.