With a 0-1 victory over Caen, Paris Saint-Germain secured their place in the Round of 32 of the Coupe de France, thanks to a goal from Moise Kean. A well-managed performance against a compact side, Paris earn their spot in the draw for the next round.
Three days after the gala victory over Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain were back in action with a trip to Normandy to start their campaign in the 2020-2021 Coupe de France. Having to do without several senior players, Mauricio Pochettino selected a reworked starting eleven, including handing the captain's armband to Neymar Jr.
The first half was tight. From the very get go, Les Rouge et Bleu set up in the hosts' half to look to find the spaces, but Les Normands closed the gaps and took very few risks. The current holders quickly understood that patience would be the key to this frozen encounter. A probing Neymar Jr led by example and Paris stepped up the pressure before the break. Julian Draxler came close to unlocking the encounter with his head after an incredible piece of work from the Brazilian (41').
It was after the break that Les Parisiens found the right tempo and made things easier for themselves. And it was thanks to Neymar Jr that the glimmer of light took hold. Picking the ball up on the left, the number 10 beat his man before sending in an inch-perfect cross for Moise Kean, who then found the back of the net from close-range (0-1, 49').
The Italian international came close once again, as he proved his ability to add depth to the visitors' game. Leandro Paredes delivered a gem into the box and Kean almost got his second, but Péan was equal to his effort (52').
Mauricio Pochettino's defensive set-up avoided any slip-ups as Pascal Dupraz and his troops woke up at the end of the encounter. Sergio Rico, who was called into action on two occasions at the start of the match to deal with long-range efforts (4', 15'), saw Alessandro Florenzi save his side just before the final quarter of an hour of the match (74'). Obliged to throw everything into the battle, Les Caennais left themselves open to the counter-attack but the score would remain unchanged, despite several efforts from a dangerous Kylian Mbappé, who had come on as a substitute (64', 70', 89').
After this professional performance at the Stade Michel-d'Ornano, Paris Saint-Germain ensure their place in the Round of 32 of the Coupe de France. Another stage to add to the upcoming challenges that promise to be exciting on all levels.