This remake of the 2008 final again ended in victory for the Parisians. In a high-surveillance Parc des Princes, the PSG supporters remained dignified in the face of provocation, while out on the pitch, Sidi Keita was the early star. The Lens midfielder took advantage of a misunderstanding in the PSG backline to test Landreau (13’), before turning the ball into his own net in trying to clear a Jérôme Rothen corner (1-0, 14’). A slice of luck gratefully accepted by the PSG players and fans!



Solid defensively, the Parisians were happy to sit back and invite Lens forward, looking to hit on the counterattack. Like when Mateja Kezman led the charge which resulted in Runje turning Rothen’s shot behind for a corner (29’) – a first warning for the visitors, quickly followed by second. After good work from Luyindula, Kezman eliminated his marker before firing agonisingly wide f the upright (44’). Paris left Lens groggy, but still standing.

Struggling in recent weeks in Ligue 2, Lens also struggled with the rhythm of the match in the second-half ad had to settle for long-range efforts, without ever really threatening the Parisians rearguard. With time running out, both coaches made changes with one eye on the weekend’s upcoming league matches (Sochaux for PSG and Vannes for Lens). The second-half also featured some wonderful moments of skill, such as this dribble from Sessegnon.



Paris assured its triumph in the final seconds with Jérémy Clément capitalising on more good work from Luyindula to beat Runje with a powerful shot (2-0, 91’). PSG’s title defence remains intact and they now take on Bordeaux in next month’s semi-final.