Simon Zenke has reunited with his French U18 Junior FA Cup winners of Strasbourg to celebrate their famous victory over Karim Benzema-led Junior Lyon, 15 years after.
Former Golden Eaglets striker Zenke struck in the 95th minute after just five minutes he was introduced to put the icing on the cake for a famous 3-1 win at Stade du France in Saint-Denis to complete a memorable day for the Strasbourg cadet team.
“Our captain brought the idea to commemorate that special moment for us,” Zenke told SCORENigeria
“It was easy for him because he works with the Strasbourg Academy coach.
“It was a very remarkable feat and worth celebrating for us Strasbourg Junior FA Cup legends because since we won it no Strasbourg team have won it.”
Zenke praised his former team mate, now the Strasbourg academy coach, for organising the event with the support of Strasbourg president but regretted that some of the cup-winning team couldn’t attend the grand occasion.
The former Turkish second-tier League top scorer recalled his Junior FA Cup glorious moments with so much relish.
“I was the youngest in the team so I was the joker, always coming off the bench,” he recounted.
“I remember in the quarterfinals when in our home (this is my first time playing in Strasbourg stadium) we were losing 1-0 to Metz and I came on the 85th minute and equalised in the 95th minute and we went ahead to win in the penalties.
“In the final at the Stade de France in a curtain raiser game before France national team vs Mexico, we were winning to 2-1 and I came on just to run down the clock, but I scored the third goal again to kill the game to break Lyon’s hearts with Benzema and Loic Remy in the team.”
Zenke would graduate to Strasbourg first team afterwards, but it was to Turkey that the Kaduna-born stocky striker took his career thereafter.
