Reims (AFP)
Holding him down: Strasbourg lost its League Cup by going to bow on penalties (0-0, 4-2) in Reims, which nevertheless played the last half hour at ten, Tuesday in the quarter final.
The Champagne club, which suffered without ever breaking during regulation time, reached the last square of the competition for the second time in its history after 2007. It was then bowed against the future winner, Bordeaux.
The Alsatians, who remained on five successes in a row in all competitions, cruelly lacked efficiency and abandoned the trophy they had won against Guingamp in March.
They thought they were on track in the shootout when Kamara stopped Donis' attempt, but Bellegarde then found the post and Rajkovic defeated Corgnet.
The session was more lively than the meeting, particularly the first balanced and opportunity-poor period between two formations very well in place.
After an attempt from outside the left of Ludovic Ajorque just above (11th), Strasbourg did not shake Reims before the break and was saved by his goalkeeper Bingourou Kamara, who won a head to head with Boulaye Dia (29th).
The Alsatians were more dangerous in the second half, with a first shot from close range from Youssouf Fofana repulsed by Rajkovic like a handball goalkeeper (50th).
They then benefited from the direct exclusion of young Nathanaël Mbuku (18) at the 59 minute for a sole on Adrien Thomasson, less than ten minutes after coming into play to replace Mathieu Cafaro, hit in the right leg.
In numerical superiority, the Alsatians increased their grip on the match but lacking in efficiency, like a shot by Benjamin Corgnet off target (84th) and a shot by Alexander Djiku on the post (89th ).
Reims will know their opponent Thursday evening, the day after the other three quarter-finals scheduled for Wednesday: Lyon - Brest (6.45 pm) then in the evening Paris SG - Saint-Etienne and Lille - Amiens (9.05 pm).
© 2020 AFP