The Canaries, who had already achieved the double in 1999 and 2000, by winning the final against Sedan and Calais, will face on April 29 the winner of the other semi-final, played Thursday between Annecy (L2) and Toulouse.

As last year, the fans invaded the field in a festive and good-natured atmosphere to the chant of "We are in the final" at the end of the match.

Big disappointment for Lyon on the other hand: won in Ligue 1 (9th to 8 points from 5th place), the Gones fail to save their year and are now preparing for a second consecutive season without European competition, far from the stated objectives.

Paradoxically, the Canaries are not even certain to stay in L1 next year, since they are still 14th with only four lengths ahead of the first relegation.

The evening was also prolific for Nantes sport, since HBC Nantes also qualified Wednesday for the final of the France Handball Cup by outclassing Aix-en-Provence (37-24).

In front of a hot Beaujoire stadium already boiling an hour before kick-off, the Nantes managed a great start, with a strike from Jean-Charles Castelletto forcing Anthony Lopes to a reflex parry from the first minute.

Lyon's Rayan Cherki (r) is ahead of Nantes' Samuel Moutoussamy, on April 5, 2023 in Nantes © LOIC VENANCE / AFP

Much more voluntary than during the slap suffered Sunday against Reims (0-3), they continued to create chances, forcing Lopes to intervene again on strikes from Ludovic Blas (22nd, 50th, 78th) and against Ignatius Ganago (40th).

They also lost a lot of balls on actions that were too hasty or imprecise, and Lyon were dangerous in offensive transitions.

Blas's feat

But the Yellow and Green defense held firm, with Nicolas Pallois once again intractable. And above all, the Gones multiplied the strikes without managing to frame a single one before a free kick from Alexandre Lacazette in the wall in the 84th minute.

Revealed one evening in January 2020 at the Beaujoire during an 8th final of the Coupe de France where he had accumulated two goals and two assists when he was only 16 years old, Ryan Cherki was particularly powerless.

Nantes' Fabien Centonze (l) wrestles with Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette, on April 5, 2023 in Nantes © LOIC VENANCE / AFP

And as often in Nantes, it was Blas who unblocked the situation. Served with his back to goal in the box by a spiked ball from Fabien Centonze, the captain of the France Cup campaign made a double check of the chest and shoulder before turning to unleash a left-footed shot that deceived Lopes (1-0, 57th).

Even when Lyon increased the pressure at the end of the match, the Nantes were also dangerous, like this strike by Samuel Moutoussamy close to the post (78th).

And when Bradley Barcola, scorer Sunday in Paris, sank into the box in the very last minutes, he saw his strike pushed away from the shoulder by Alban Lafont, who entered the half-hour mark to replace Rémy Descamps, visibly injured.

The question of which goalkeeper to line up at the Stade de France may still agitate the Jonelière in the coming weeks, but for the fans, it is time to celebrate. "We're hot to make one again," he announced on a large banner.

© 2023 AFP