Paris Saint-Germain will not make it to the Coupe de France final for the first time since 2014 after being knocked out of the last 16 by Nice in a penalty shootout.
Lionel Messi looked sharper when he started the club in 2022 and linked up with Mauro Icardi to stop Marco Verratti for a shot in the first half of the game in the 22nd minute but the Italian pulled back his effort.
Nice first saw the goal late, with Amine Gouiri biting Gianluigi Donnarumma’s palms with a free-kick from 30 yards out.
PSG struggled to break down the defensive line but Lionel Messi was also involved before the break, found in the box by Verratti but directed directly at the goalkeeper.
The struggle continued into the second half but it was Presnel Kimpembe who came close to the goal post in the back corner trying to get him off the line.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side almost stole the game in the end when substitute Kylian Mbappe managed to reach the end of the box and fired an extra shot at one of the goals before facing the Nice defenders.
The draw would have been decided by penalties, with the first five goals taken before Leandro Paredes saw his effort weighed down by Marcin Bułka.
Donnarumma then denied Andy Delort, Julian Draxler and Gouiri made no mistake so the shooting died suddenly.
Eighteen-year-old Xavi Simons faced the brutality of a penalty shooter to see his effort from 12 yards saved by Bulka to decide to arrest.
Leave a comment