Décines-Charpieu (France) (AFP)
Even without being imperial, Paris ensures the spectacle: the Parisian club, carried in particular by the hat-trick of Kylian Mbappé, outclassed Lyon on Wednesday (5-1) to qualify for the final of the Coupe de France, a week before its 8th final return of Champions League.
Thomas Tuchel had predicted before the meeting a test "level Champions League". He was served. Faced with a solid Lyon team, which remained on two high-level performances against Juventus Turin (1-0) and Saint-Etienne (2-0), his team was not completely convinced.
A stereotypical game based too much on the flashes of his individualities, a roughly handled block, often cut in half ... The repetition hoped for before Dortmund did not meet expectations. But most of it was done thanks to the goals of Neymar (64th), Mbappé (14th, 70th, 90 + 2) and Pablo Sarabia (82nd)!
For Lyon, revenge will still be possible in the League Cup final on April 4 at the Stade de France. His last opportunity to win a national trophy in a disappointing season, so far, in the league.
To take benchmarks before Dortmund, Tuchel had decided to align a very competitive team in its preferred scheme in 4-4-2. With strong choices: Cavani at the forefront of the attack, Paredes in recovery, and Marquinhos in central defense.
- Terrier surprises Paris -
However, Lyon could have scored from the outset. The head of Houssem Aouar, on receiving a discount from Marcelo, miraculously landed in the hands of Navas ... while the Lyonnais was two meters away of the goal (5th).
The response was not made wait by Neymar, author of a nice number concluded by a curled strike of the left well repelled by Anthony Lopes (6th). Enough to set the tone for a very rhythmic start to the match, where excess play ended up being fatal for Parisians.
On a loss of ball of Layvin Kurzawa in his camp, Karl Toko Ekambi took the opportunity to spin into the area and address a center back perfect for Martin Terrier (1-0, 11th).
Stung to the heart, the Parisian side knew how to be forgiven just a few seconds later. On receiving a corner kick, Kurzawa managed an unstoppable header ... but the goal of equalization was "stolen" in extremis by Mbappé, who knew how to deflect the ball at the last moment (1-1, 14th) .
With more variety in the game, alternating between short passes and changing wings, the Parisians then managed to take the lead without managing to make a difference.
The Lyon countermembers should even have sanctioned this lack of realism in the last gesture, like the inspiration of Moussa Dembélé - a game without a ball in favor of Terrier - but Navas remained vigilant (30th).
- Neymar worries ... then marks -
On a sharp acceleration from Neymar, who dropped Dubois over 40 meters before addressing a perfect cross, Cavani saw his volley hit on the post (43rd) just before halftime.
The grimaces of the Brazilian raised fears of an injury, a week before the 8th final of C1. Finally back in the second period, the former Barcelonan first stood out more for his pats with the provocative Marcelo than for his imbalances.
It is even Lyon which dominated the debates while preventing Paris from being dangerous. And on an innocuous action, Marçal committed the irreparable: a hand in the area, synonymous with red card and penalty for PSG.
Neymar, the exercise specialist, was not asked to transform it and give the advantage to his own (2-1, 64th). The starting point for an offensive festival signed Mbappé.
On a supersonic raid where he erased Guimaraes and then Marcelo, the French world champion first ensured qualification for his own (3-1, 70th). Pablo Sarabia, on the lookout for a scramble, made the score even more flattering (4-1, 82nd) ... before seeing Mbappé offer the hat-trick at the end of the match (5-1, 90 + 2 ). Dortmund is notified.
© 2020 AFP