Bocanegra Scored in French Cup Final

On This Day in 2009, the Defender Rose to Nod Home Stade Rennes' Opener in the Stade de France Final, but EA Guingamp Stormed Back to Win the Trophy

After barely avoiding relegation during the 2007-08 season, Fulham released eight players, including Carlos Bocanegra. The USMNT captain played four-and-a-half seasons in London in the Premier League, scoring eight goals in 116 league appearances. Within a month, Bocanegra signed a three-year deal with Stade Rennes in Ligue 1 in France with aspirations of helping the club reach the UEFA Champions League after a sixth-place finish the previous season.

Bocanegra became essential to the national team in 2007, when he captained the side that beat Mexico 2-1 in the Gold Cup Final. He used that momentum to play 22 matches for Fulham during the following season, including captaining the side for the first time in a Premier League match, a 3-3 draw with Tottenham on September 1. But, Fulham needed three wins in the final three matches to remain safe in England’s top flight — Bocanegra was left on the bench for those final games.

After being released and signing in France, Bocanegra hit the ground running, moving straight into the starting XI at left back. The American would start all 38 matches for Rennes in Ligue 1, scoring once, resulting in a 2-0 win over AJ Auxerre on March 8. He needed to play well for Rennes as the US had World Cup Qualifying starting in June. Bocanegra would captain the Americans in 8 of 11 qualifying matches before the conclusion of the 2008/09 club season. Rennes also made a cup run in the Coupe de France, beating FC Sochaux, Saint-Etienne, FC Lorient, Rodez AF and Grenoble to reach the final, a May 9 match with Guingamp.

Rennes was coming off a league win over Paris Saint-Germain six days earlier and was sitting seventh in Ligue 1, while their opponent, Guingamp, was a bottom-half team in Ligue 2. But the team from northwest France made a magical cup run to the final, beating Le Mans, Sedan and Toulouse in the final three rounds. The match remained scoreless until midway through the second half, with Rennes piling on the pressure. They finally made the breakthrough in the 69th minute, following a set-piece. Bruno Cheyrou curled in the ball with his left foot from the right side, and Bocanegra rose to nod home the opening goal.

“It was probably one of the best atmospheres I've had outside of a World Cup game, which is pretty special,” Bocanegra said in 2011. “(After the goal), it was just really loud. I don't remember. It was just that was a nice feeling, you know? It popped up on a set piece, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough.”

Guingamp would instantly respond with Eduardo equalizing in the 72nd minute. 10 minutes later, Eduardo would strike again, scoring the winner after a scramble in the box. The second-division side would hold on for the 2-1 victory and the trophy. Rennes collected four points from their final three league matches to finish seventh in Ligue 1. It was a successful first season in France for Bocanegra, and that success transferred to the national team. He scored the winner in the US’s 2-1 victory over Honduras on June 6 in World Cup Qualifying before captaining the side, in the knockout rounds, to a second-place finish at the Confederations Cup.