Differdange Seal Domestic Double After Dramatic Luxembourg Cup Final Victory

On Wednesday 28 May 2025, the Loterie Nationale Coupe de Luxembourg final took place at the Stade de Luxembourg, where F91 Dudelange and FC Differdange 03 faced off to determine this year’s winner in front of 4,458 spectators.

Differdange, having secured the BGL Ligue title, were aiming for a domestic double, while Dudelange were seeking their ninth Cup victory in club history, having last lifted the trophy in the 2018/2019 season.

Differdange took early control of the match, pressing high against a well-organised F91 side. In the eleventh minute, a free kick from Guillaume Trani found Kevin D’Anzico, whose header struck the crossbar with Didier Desprez seemingly beaten.

But just a minute later, it was Dudelange who opened the scoring. Filip Bojic initiated the move that led to the goal, with Samir Hadji heading in a precise cross from Chris Stumpf to give F91 the lead in the twelfth minute.

The remainder of the first half saw few chances for either side, with much of the play marked by physical battles and frequent stoppages by the referee. As a result, the second half began with the score unchanged at 1-0 in favour of Dudelange.

The physical contest continued into the second half, with the first shot on target coming in the 68th minute, forcing Differdange goalkeeper Felipe Ventura into action. Following a well-placed pass from substitute Enzo Fonseca Lima, Filip Bojic broke into the box but saw his near-post effort well saved.

However, ten minutes later, it was the league champions who finally found success on the counter-attack. Having made a strong impact off the bench, Adham El Idrissi played a precise long ball to Diogo Silva, who met it with a first-time header that looped over the goalkeeper to level the score. The goal sent Pedro Resende’s team into extra time.

In an interview with Chronicle.lu, Differdange head coach Pedro Resende reflected on the match, stating: “First half without ball, not very well for us, but [the] second half I think  Dudelange staying all in the defending and two times we reversed the score.”

Differdange created the first clear chance after the restart, with captain Geoffrey Franzoni delivering a precise cross to Adham El Idrissi, whose close-range effort was well saved by Didier Desprez at the near post. Dudelange responded in the 102nd minute with a powerful free kick from Mehdi Kirch that was pushed away by Felipe Ventura.

The turning point came in the 110th minute. Adham Hadji combined with Yannick Schaus on the right, and the latter delivered a driven cross into the box, which was inadvertently deflected into his own net by Kevin D’Anzico. Dudelange regained the lead 1-2.

"I believe every time [in coming back] because I know my players and I know they believe too. For me, I tell we're going to make and it's like this," said FC Differdange 03 coach Pedro Resende.

And so it happened, as the referee awarded a penalty for a handball by Enzo Lima in the box. Despite Dudelange goalkeeper Didier Desprez attempting to delay the shot by claiming cramps, Differdange’s number ten, Guillaume Trani, kept his composure and converted with a powerful strike into the side netting, levelling the score at 2-2 and sending the match to penalties.

In the post-match penalty shootout, Dudelange missed one attempt, with Guilain Zrankeon sending the ball over the crossbar on the team’s second shot. All Differdange players converted their penalties, with Guillaume Trani, who had also scored in extra time, delivering the decisive fifth spot-kick. The 7–6 shootout win secured Differdange’s second trophy of the season.

"It was a tough game because we lost two times and we go again in the last moment. But we have a lot of character and what a season because in a championship we are so wonderful, we're so perfect. And after in cup now we won like this. It's unbelievable. It's amazing. So thank you for everybody because we have a great team, great coach, great club, great president," Guillaume Trani summed up to Chronicle.lu.

When asked about his future at Differdange, where he recorded seventeen goals and eleven assists this season, Guillaume Trani noted that his contract has ended and that he plans to take time to consider his options before making a decision.

The match also marked the final appearance on the sidelines for Differdange 48-year-old head coach Pedro Resende, who is leaving the club after securing both the league title and the Luxembourg Cup in the 2024/25 season.