Nantes won the French Cup for the second straight year at the Stade de France yesterday, ending the brave dream of Calais' valiant amateurs in controversial fashion as a late penalty secured a 2-1 win.

With the match moving into injury time Calais defender Fabrice Baron appeared to impede Nantes striker Alain Caveglia, who collapsed in a heap and referee Claude Colombo awarded a penalty amid angry protests from the first fourth division side ever to appear in the final.

Antoine Sibierski smacked home the penalty past goalkeeper Cedric Schille and Nantes were home and dry. Calais took the lead after 34 minutes through Jerome Dutitre, a 24-year-old sports teacher, who turned the ball in from close range. But after half-time Nantes began to impose their superior technique and they levelled five minutes after the restart through Sibierski.