Lyon and Nantes are doing well / Coupe de France (8th final)

Find all the results of the matches of this early evening, counting for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Before a highly anticipated OM-PSG Classico, several French football cadors were out at the start of the evening, this Wednesday, for the knockout stages of the Coupe de France. The daily bread of Ligue 1 may well mobilize the heads, there was no question of neglecting the oldest competition. For its charm, its prestige, its great stories and the European ticket it can distribute, the cup remains a priority for many teams.

Lyon got scared

Olympique Lyonnais rubbed shoulders with one of the toughest opponents, Lille. A playful team, attractive even, and unpredictable. Stuck in the soft underbelly of the rankings, the Rhone club has made the Coupe de France one of its main objectives, Laurent Blanc having stressed to the press that this tournament represented the shortest – and least tortuous – path to access to Europe this season. And at the end of a very disputed meeting, it is the Gones who had the last word. But they got scared.

After quickly leading by two goals thanks to Cherki (1-0, 8th) then Lacazette (2-0, 21st), Laurent Blanc’s men lacked serenity. LOSC took the opportunity to resurface, on a penalty converted by David (2-1, 29th) and an equalizer signed Zhegrova (2-2, 64th). We had to wait for the penalty shootout and a decisive Lopes to see OL validate their qualification (2-2, 4-2 on pens).

To read also – OM – PSG, compositions: Tudor changes everything! An unprecedented Marseille 11

Nantes goes through the small door

On his side, FC Nantes had a standing to defend against its Angevin neighbor, in a derby that the Canaries approached as favorites, as good defending champions. And Antoine Kombouaré’s men fulfilled their mission by winning the qualification, but they also had to go through the penalty shootout box (1-1, 4-2 on pens). They can thank winter rookie Florent Mollet, who equalized in the last minutes of regulation time (1-1, 86th) after Sima’s quick goal for the SCO (1-0, 6th). A contract completed without mention for the people of Nantes.

Another interesting meeting: Toulouse-Reims. A match between the two most surprising teams at the start of 2023. A rather unbridled balance of power which resulted in a qualification of Téfécé, more effective (3-1). Also promoted to the top flight this season, AJ Auxerre can’t do it. The Burgundian club had an ideal opportunity to reach the quarters, but it fell against Rodez, a formation which it had often crossed in Ligue 2 in recent years (2-3). Finally, Annecy and Grenoble validated their ticket by respectively knocking down Paris FC (1-1, 6-5 tab) and little thumb Vierzon (1-0).