AS Monaco goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki saves a shot on goal during the 32nd final of the Coupe de France against Lensd. FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP
Quickly trailing 2-0, Lens joined Monaco before being eliminated on penalties during the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France on Sunday, which saw victories for Marseille against Thionville, Lyon against Pontarlier and Rennes at Guingamp.
The shock of this round of entry of Ligue 1 clubs into the competition kept its promise of spectacle. In Bollaert, Monaco struck quickly and hard, from the first minute by Wissam Ben Yedder with a powerful strike at ground level, then by Maghnes Akliouche (21st).
The Lensois, who had been muddled until then at the restart, came to their senses and got their foot back on the ball. Stifling the Monegasques, the Sang et Or scored through Faitout Maouassa on a solitary raid into the area (43rd) and Florian Sotoca who, cleverly, slipped the ball under the Monegasque goalkeeper (62nd). They had several opportunities to take the advantage.
During the long penalty shootout, Radoslaw Majecki stopped Wesley Saïd’s shot but Youssouf Fofana then crushed his shot against Brice Samba. Angelo Fulgini sent his shot into the stands but Samba made another save against Vanderson.
A new Lensois gift with a shot on the bar from Facundo Medina forced the Lensois goalkeeper to a new feat against Myron Boadu. We had to wait for the ninth shooter and a transformation from Soungoutou Magassa, after a save from Majecki in front of Adrien Thomasson, to decide between the two camps.
Lyon is going back up the slope
Olympique de Marseille faltered for a long time in the last gesture against Thionville (National 3) at the Saint-Symphorien stadium in Metz, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang launched from deep found the fault (62nd, 1-0).
The Lyonnais struggled for a half against Pontarlier (National 3) in Besançon before winning with goals from Rayan Cherki (45th), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (52nd) and Alexandre Lacazette (56th). Pierre Sage’s men continue to recover after a catastrophic first half of the season.
At the Stade du Roudourou in Guingamp, the Breton derby turned to the advantage of Rennes (2-0), whose striker and Espoirs international Arnaud Kalimuendo crucified the Guingamp rearguard twice (45th, 57th).
In the Normandy derby, Le Havre (L1) enforced the hierarchy against Caen (L2), which they dominated 2-1.