Women's French Cup: PSG lose in the final against OL on penalties

The next world of French women's football still looks a lot like the world before. For their post-Covid reunion, OL and PSG again fought for a national title this Sunday evening in Auxerre. And as often in the history of their rivalry, the confrontation turned to the advantage of the Lyonnaises, winners on penalties (0-0, 4 tab to 3) of a Coupe de France which is theirs for the ninth time. since 2008. A good week after losing the final of the Men's League Cup in this way against the same PSG for men, the Lyon club has taken revenge with its women.

Paris, supported in the stands of Abbé-Deschamps by its president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and its sports director Leonardo, believed to see a sign that the so repeated scenario would not happen again. Like two years ago during their last victory over OL in the final of the same Coupe de France, the storm hit the lawn. And, this time, it was not the torrential rains that caused the interruption of the match, but lightning.

A match interrupted by the storm

This hit the electrical installations in Auxerre and plunge the stadium into darkness after ten minutes of play. A quarter of an hour of smartphones turned on to illuminate the field later, the match could resume. Taking the teams to a penalty shootout despite an assertive domination of the Lyonnaises.

More solid behind and above all more technically precise, OL imposed their rhythm on PSG, unable to regularly serve their offensive talents like Katoto, Diani or Huitema. Jostled, Olivier Echouafni's players never cracked, helped by Lyon's inability to conclude and a collective rage, noticeable before the penalty shootout.

The Parisian goalkeeper missed her shot on goal

But even after the failure of the Lyon international Eugénie Le Sommer on OL's fourth attempt, Paris badly negotiated this moment of truth. First by sending goalkeeper Christiane Endler to shoot, whose strike hit the bar. And, on the last attempt, it was a player who had barely entered the game, Léa Khelifi, who missed out and sent her shot into the gloves of Sarah Bouhaddi.

"I do not know what to say, despaired the Parisian captain Irene Paredes at the microphone of France Televisions after the meeting. Once again, it's a story of penalties (Editor's note: as during the Champions Trophy). We gave everything, it's hard. We had opportunities. We will come back even stronger. We are a team that improves every day. ”

Next episode of the rivalry? Maybe very quickly. Engaged in the Final 8 of the Champions League played in the Spanish Basque Country, Parisiennes and Lyonnaises could find themselves in the semi-finals of the competition if they rule out Arsenal and Bayern Munich respectively. For a new episode of these shocks which all too often turn in the same direction in the eyes of PSG?

OL-PSG: 0-0, 4 tab to 3

Half-time: 0-0.

Spectators: 4,500.

Referee: Ms. Beyer.

Warnings. OL: PSG: Dudek (17th), Katoto (28th).

OL: Bouhaddi - Bronze, Renard (cap.), Buchanan, Bacha (Le Sommer, 62nd) - Henry (Gunnarsdottir, 74th), Kumagai - D. Cascarino (Van De Sanden, 74th), Marozsan, Majri - Parris (Taylor, 90th).

Coach: Vasseur.

PSG: Endler - Lawrence (Khelifi, 90th + 5), Dudek, Paredes (cap.), Morroni - Diani, Geyoro, Formiga (Däbritz, 57th), Baltimore (Bachmann, 74th) - Huitema (Nadim, 74th), Katoto ( Bruun, 90th + 5).

Coach: Echouafni.