Les Parisiennes reach the cup semi-finals
Having run out 4-0 winners over Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France Féminine this afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain have booked their place among the competition’s final four.
Following their epic clash with Lyon last Sunday, Les Parisiennes were in Coupe de France Féminine action today, in what was a potentially tricky tie away to third-tier outfit Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne. Despite fielding a heavily changed starting XI, Paris were quickly able to get the measure of the encounter, dominating the possession and pushing plenty of bodies up into the opposition half.
It was Amalie Vangsgaard who eventually broke the deadlock after a powerful shot from Magnaba Folquet came bouncing off the post and back towards the Danish striker, who took on Le Puy keeper Amel Salah herself and gave her absolutely no chance, stroking the ball home with her left foot (0-1, 26'). Les Parisiennes then doubled their lead shortly before the interval through Switzerland international Ramona Bachmann, who got herself onto the end of Lieke Martens-van Leer's cross from the left and controlled the ball inside the box before finishing with finesse (0-2, 42').
Vangsgaard, who seemed to be everywhere all at once, would then go close to widening the gap even further just before the hour mark, but the scorer of the game's opening goal was stopped by some great anticipation from Salah, who turned the ball behind for a corner.
With Jocelyn Prêcheur's players giving the hosts no space whatsoever and thereby depriving them of the chance to create any danger, this was a serious and hard-working performance from Les Parisiennes, who continued to try to extend their lead, but Le Puy remained strong at the back despite their lack of threat going forward.
With a quarter of an hour left to play, Vangsgaard finally bagged her brace, beating Salah at the second time of asking following Elimbi Gilbert's long ball into the box (0-3, 74'), before Sandy Baltimore rounded off the win and the attacking masterclass from her side thanks to Tabitha Chawinga's assist (0-4, 90').
With the semi-finals of the Coupe de France Féminine scheduled for 10th March, Les Parisiennes are now just one step away from the final at Montpellier's Stade de la Mosson on 4th May.