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PSG stunned in League Cup quarters by struggling Guingamp
PARIS, Jan 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain saw their 43-match
winning run in domestic cup competitions come to an end as Thomas Tuchel’s
men suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat by Ligue 1 bottom club Guingamp in the
French League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The visitors were awarded three penalties at the Parc des Princes in a
dramatic second half, as PSG failed in their bid for a sixth straight League
Cup title.
It was only a second defeat in all competitions this season for the
capital club, after a 3-2 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions
League last September.
Guingamp, who have won just two league games all season, join Monaco,
Strasbourg and Bordeaux in the semi-finals.
“We came here to win and we know it’s very difficult here,” said Marcus
Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, who scored the
winner.
“We know that in the Cup anything can happen… We knew how to hinder
PSG.”
Neymar broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute after Thuram missed from the
spot, but Guingamp rallied, with Thuram’s successful injury-time penalty
snatching victory with a shootout looming.
“We played with too much confidence, we were not hungry enough to finish
the match,” admitted PSG coach Thomas Tuchel.
“It’s very hard to lose with three penalties. I was angry with the second
one, I can see the VAR 100 times, it’s not a penalty.”
Tuchel named a strong starting XI including Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and
Angel Di Maria, but a drab first half in the capital failed to produce a
single shot on target from either side.
The reigning French champions had extended their cup winning streak at the
weekend against fifth-tier Pontivy, but Guingamp were awarded a penalty on
the hour mark when Ludovic Blas was tripped by PSG full-back Thomas Meunier.
Forward Thuram blazed his effort from 12 yards well over the top of the
crossbar, and it appeared as though the opportunity of an upset had passed
Guingamp by when Neymar headed home a Meunier cross less than two minutes
later.
But the away side managed to stay in the game and were handed another
penalty nine minutes from time when Marcus Coco was bundled over by Juan
Bernat, and Congolese international Yeni Ngbakoto made no mistake after a
lengthy VAR delay.
With the game set for penalties after 90 minutes, Guingamp landed a
decisive blow on the counter-attack, as Thilo Kehrer fouled Thuram, and this
time the 21-year-old squeezed the ball under the diving Alphonse Areola in
the PSG net.
– Monaco win marathon shootout –
Earlier on Wednesday, Monaco goalkeeper Loic Badiashile scored the winning
penalty in a marathon shootout against Rennes.
Monaco, runners-up in the past two seasons, salvaged a 1-1 draw after
normal time thanks to Rony Lopes’ second-half equaliser, before Badiashile’s
heroics as he also saved three spot-kicks.
Thierry Henry’s young team are floundering in Ligue 1, sitting second-
bottom and five points from safety, but managed to keep their coach’s hopes
of a first trophy alive at the Stade Louis II.
“That’s exactly how we want to play,” said the former Arsenal and France
striker. “Sometimes we heard the crowd were unhappy, but we got the ball back
on the ground and we played.
“Finally we reacted after conceding a goal. Before we didn’t know how to
do it. This time, we did.”
Monaco were the better side for the majority of an uneventful first half,
with Moussa Sylla twice going close, but went into the break a goal down
after Benjamin Bourigeaud swept Rennes ahead on the half-hour mark after a
clever pass from Hatem Ben Arfa.
Henry was grateful to have Lopes back in the starting line-up for the
first time since September 2 after a thigh injury, and the Portuguese forward
tapped in Julien Serrano’s low cross to level in the 54th minute.
Kamil Glik and new signing Naldo both missed chances to win the tie for
Monaco on penalties, but 20-year-old Badiashile slotted home the 22nd spot-
kick to send them through after Rennes ‘keeper Tomas Koubek had blazed over.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1230HRS