Olympique Lyonnais won the Coupe de France against Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the shoot-offs (7-6). At the Stade de la Rabinne in Vannes, the two teams were tied at the final whistle (1-1) and took a long time to decide before Meline Gérard and Ada Hegerberg finally tipped the shoot-out session. goals in favor of Lyonnaises. This is the ninth Coupe de France for Lyon, and the sixth straight Coupe-Championship in a row.


Forget the Parc OL


The trap seemed tense. After an easy victory last week in Parc OL against the same team of PSG, we suspected that the task would not be easy for the players of Gérard Prêcheur. Paris worked during the week, with video feedback and will fill all the spaces that opened in the Rhone last Saturday.


Patrice Lair had spoken of a "laboratory match" to be able to approach these finales with the maximum of elements on how to counter this Lyonnais team which remained largely favorite before this match of strong experience of these finales, which they systematically won these last five years.


On the ground of the stadium of the Rabine, the changes compared to the match of Saturday was to look for the Lyonnais side. Elodie Thomis replaced injured Alex Morgan and Kadeisha Buchanan took the place of Jessica Houara. Buchanan positioned in central defense, while Griedge Mbock held the right-side position.


Gérard Prêcheur evolved his team in 4-3-3 while Patrice Lair made him evolved his team with a defense to five (three central defenders, Lawrence and Perisset on the sides). On the side of Paris, the tenure of Eve Perisset is the only change in the eleven compared to last Saturday.


Know how to be "bad"


Before the match, Patrice Lair had spoken of the "badness" he wanted to see in his players and stop getting "pushed on" by the Lyonnaises. We found a little of this malice early in the game, more aggressiveness in the duels, rough interventions, sometimes to the limit, as Laura George in his duel with Eugénie Le Sommer. We have seen Lyon players disturbed by this attitude of the Parisian women, demanding fouls from the referee, who has often let play.


This physical challenge prevented the Lyon squad from setting up and organizing their game. Yet Paris suffered, hit hard but still at the mercy of Lyon's brilliance, especially Eugénie Le Sommer, who seemed once again keen on this beginning of the match. But the lightning, she came from the Paris camp and Cristiane in particular. Inside the OL Park, multiplying technical faults, Cristiane recalled in one action that she remained one of the best attackers in the world.


Following a Lyon corner, the ball is cleared by Grace Geyoro. The ball takes the direction of the camp Lyonnais and Cristiane comes to dispute the ball to the race with Amel Majri. Cristiane manages to catch the Lyon side. Ele then controls the ball and the edge of the surface, returns to his left foot and places a wrapped shot that ends in the opposite corner, out of reach of Meline Gerard (7th).


Lyon avoids the turmoil


A beautiful goal and reminiscent in a different style that registered by Marie-Laure Delie last December Camp des Loges. He especially reminds what must Paris do to mark against Lyon: an action or gesture out of the ordinary. Without being knocked out, Lyon is slow to react.


Aside from a combination between Amel Majri and Camille Abily on the left side, OL's play fails to unfold. The long balls are well read by the Parisian defense and Marozsan fails to shine behind the attackers well framed by the Parisian midfielder and Formiga in particular. After the first half hour, we wonder if Paris has failed to unseat Lyon, at least until the break.

However, Lyon will not wait to return. On a corner by Eugénie Le Sommer, Marozsan sent the ball into the box but the referee of the match designated the penalty spot before the leather touched the ground. In cause, a fault of Shirley Cruz belt Eugenie Le Sommer in the area. As often, the task is entrusted to Saki Kumagai who manages to score despite the exit of Kiedrzynek who deflects the ball but can not prevent it from going to the bottom (34th).


Lyon returns to the score early in the game and avoids doubts for the rest of the game. For Paris, the few strikes at the end of the period are not framed and therefore do not allow to regain the advantage before returning to the locker room.


Kiedrzynek, a solid last rampart


After the break, we find the pattern of the end of the first half with a fairly low Parisian bloc, entrenched in his camp, even if the players of Patrice Lair come to press higher at times. On one of these sequences where Paris comes to pick OL, PSG is close to being trapped. A ball recovered in midfield, and Marozsan with a little more space could serve ideally Thomis managed to leave in the back of Lawrence. His center finds Ada Hegerberg at the first post that tackles the ball but stumbles on Kiedrzynek who makes a decisive parry (55th).


The minutes that follow are in favor of the Lyonnaises but the danger remains limited: Amel Majri's center-shots, one of which hits the top of the crossbar (67th) and a shot from Thomis (61st) just above of the frame. Lyon insists but Paris has learned its lesson well. Solid, the Parisian players manage to contain their opponents. In the middle, Shirley Cruz and Grace Geyoro are replaced by Vero Boquete and Aminata Diallo and take over in the defensive work.


In stoppage time, while Paris seems on the brink of rupture, Katarzyna Kiedrzynek makes the exit right before Wendie Renard, ready to take a free kick far away from Dzsenifer Marozsan (94th). The match ends, and unlike the Champions League in ten days when teams can play overtime, it is the shoot-out session that immediately follows the 90 minutes of play.


Lyon no longer afraid of shoot-out


A session where the batters are chained on each side and succeed perfectly their task. Until Irene Paredes, fifth Parisian player to start. His overpowering shot flies over the bar and gives Saki Kumagai a match point. The Japanese player takes Kiedrzynek against the foot but his shot fails on the left post, and restart the shootout.


Lyon never won a French Cup final in shoot-offs, but managed to break that bad series by winning the Champions League shoot-out against the Wolfsburg. A European final where Ada Hegerberg missed his shoot-out and this time the Norwegian striker was not part of the first series of players to start. At six everywhere (6-6), it is Ouleymata Sarr who rushes for PSG. An uneasy penalty Meline Gerard manages to push back on his right and it is therefore Ada Hegerberg who has the opportunity to give the victory to his.


A shot in strength under the crossbar, and on which Kiedrzynek is completely beaten. The Lyon players let their joy burst out by winning this trophy at the end of the suspense. A difficult victory that gives all the more flavor to this Coupe de France which returns for the ninth time in sixteen years to a Lyon team.


On the psychological level, we are obviously wondering what effect this match will have in view of the third act, on June 1st with the Champions League final in Cardiff, still between the two teams. Parisians uninhibited by their match tonight, and their ability to hold OL in a cleaver game but at the same time the disappointment that may deprive the players of Patrice Lair a part of their lucidity. It is certain that it will take a big match to prevent the Lyonnaises to achieve a new hat-trick.