Kylian Mbappe broke a barren run by scoring the winning goal as PSG held off Rennes with a 1-0 win in the Coupe de France semi-final.
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Mbappe opened scoring in first half after missed penaltyPlayed all 90 minutes after controversial substitution at the weekendParisians will play Lyon in Coupe de France finalGettyTELL ME MORE
Mbappe missed a penalty shortly before half time, but quickly made up for his mistake, providing the opener with a dart down the wing and heavily deflected strike that crept into the bottom corner. Rennes showed some attacking promise after the break, and forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a few stops, but couldn't find the net. The Parisians will feel they could have put the game beyond doubt, with Marco Asensio and Mbappe both missing good chances. Still, they looked admittedly comfortable and seem well-equipped to play for Luis Enrique's first trophy at the helm.
AdvertisementTHE MVP
It's been a difficult few weeks for Mbappe. The forward, marred by transfer talk, has been well-short of his dominant best, and has been benched a number of times by his often combative manager. Still, here, in a semi-final, he showed just how important he can be. The missed penalty will sting, but Mbappe ultimately grabbed the winning goal, and a couple of neat stops prevented him from bagging two or three. PSG are going to be playing for a trophy soon, and they have Mbappe to thank.
GettyTHE BIG LOSER
It was another puzzling night for Ousmane Dembele, who hasn't quite found a groove in a PSG shirt. The Frenchman did a lot of pretty things – clever turns and deceptive bursts of pace – but he was wasteful when it came to the key moments. Too often, he played the wrong pass, or made an ill-advised decision. For all of his quality, there will always be a nagging feeling that he should be more impactful. Lyon, too, will perhaps be rueing the result. They would have been eager to face Rennes in the final – who will surely present a more beatable opponent for a side enduring a miserable season.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
The Parisians will continue their campaign with a Ligue 1 clash against Clermont Foot on Saturday. After that, they will host Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.