Metz clinched a thriller to advance in the Coupe de la Ligue as they beat Nice 3-2 on penalties after both sides could not be separated at 3-3 after extra-time at the Allianz Riviera.
Metz could have been forgiven for thinking they would cruise into the next round much sooner after they raced into a formidable-looking 3-0 lead after 17 minutes, but that dream soon shattered.
Jose Palomino opened the scoring for Les Grenats five minutes in, before Modibo Maiga doubled their advantage in the 13th minute and striker Thibaut Vion made it 3-0 four minutes later.
Nice responded quickly to make things interesting, with strikes from Neal Maupay and Alexy Bosetti capping off a frenetic five-goal first half, but Les Aiglons still looked like they were heading out until Dario Cvitanich equalised from the spot in the 88th minute to send it to extra time.
Both sides held firm during the additional half an hour, but it was Metz who eventually edged a tense shootout after Mathieu Bodmer, Cvitanich and Bosetti all failed to score penalties for Nice.
In the other cup clash on Wednesday, Rennes came from behind to beat Marseille 2-1 courtesy of a last-gasp winner from Austrian striker Philipp Hosiner.
Belgian Michy Batshuayi put Marseille in front in the 19th minute with his first goal since signing for L'OM in the summer, before Anders Konradsen hit back for Rennes on the hour mark.
With the game finely poised, a scuffle led to both sides being reduced to 10 men as Rennes' Paul-Georges Ntep and Marseilles' Brice Dja Djedje were given their marching orders, before Hosiner settled the tie in the third minute of stoppage time.
On Tuesday, Montpellier, Reims and Lens all exited the competition as they lost to second-division sides.