The View From France

Last weekend saw the last sixteen of the French Cup. Jean-Pierre Thiesset rounds up all the action.

This weekend saw the entry of the D1 Arkema teams in the last sixteen round of French Cup. This year is a little special as the D1 teams have to compete against each other. So six top flight teams are already eliminated.

Olympique Lyonnais qualified for the next round by winning away from home 5–0 against Reims. There was no contest from Reims in this game dominated by the visitors from the beginning to the end. Jean-Luc Vasseur, Lyon Coach, even used this game to give play time to several players and tried different game plans like putting Sakina Karchaoui as a left striker in the first half or putting the recruit Damaris Egurrola in the middle in the second half. Goals for Lyon by Dzsenifer Marozsán (16, 51, 53), Wendie Renard (36 penalty following a long run of Delphine Cascarino from her own 20 yards), Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (49). Dzsenifer Marozsan scored her second goal with a lob from 40 yards. Sara Gunnarsdottir scored her goal with a lob also from 18 yards.

As we saw our second left back in this game, I would like to use this opportunity to present a comparison of their outstanding statistics. Selma Bacha: left back in the first half – 40 balls played: 34 passes (85% successful), one cross, three balls recovered, twice heading off the line with her goalkeeper beaten and no errors. Sakina Karchaoui: left back in the second half – 39 balls played: 32 passes (87% successful), seven balls recovered; no errors. We are so lucky at Lyon to have two of the best left backs in D1 which can also play as left midfielders.

Bordeaux at home needed 30 minutes to really take the game on their own but qualified against Le Havre 5–0. Pedro Martinez Losa, the Bordeaux coach, made a few changes which probably explain the slow start of the team. Goals for Bordeaux by Khadija Shaw (37, 56), Katja Snoeijs (39, 42), Inès Jaurena (75). Khadija Shaw continues to score in each game she plays, and her statistics are impressive: 14 games (13 in D1), 19 goals (17 in D1).

Dijon, at home, created the big surprise of this qualifying round by winning against Paris FC after a penalty shoot-out. At the end of the game both teams had scored 1 goal (Linda Sällström 28 for Paris FC and Desire Oparanozie 67 for Dijon).

A summary of the penalty shoot-out: Gaëtane Thiney, Paris FC (0-1), Léa Declercq, Dijon (1-1), Théa Greboval, Paris FC (1-2), Rose Lavaud, Dijon (2-2), Anaig Butel, Paris FC (outside), Hélène Fercocq, Dijon (3-2), Tess Laplacette, Paris FC (stopped by the goalkeeper), Salma Amani, Dijon (4-2).

Paris St. Germain won 2–0 away from home at Fleury to progress without any problems. Olivier Echouafni, Paris SG coach, made a few changes leaving Kadidiatou Diani (came on as a substitute in the 76^th minute) and Marie-Antoinette Katoto (entered at the 82^nd minute) at rest for most of the game and not selecting at all Christiane Endler and Formiga for this game. Goals for Paris SG by Sara Däbritz (30 penalty) and Signe Bruun (52). The D1 Arkema league leaders continue on the road of French Cup final. Will we have a Paris SG – Lyon final again?

Guingamp, at home, win the game in the opening fourteen minutes to win 3–0 against Soyaux. No surprise and no suspense in this game. Goals for Guingamp by Romane Munich (7 own goal), Sarah Cambot (10), Alison Peniguel (14). Romane Munich, Soyaux goalkeeper, was not lucky in this game as she released the ball on the first goal and when Alison Peniguel took advantage of a misunderstanding between her and one of her defenders on the third goal.

Issy qualified by winning at home against Montpellier 2-1. Goals for Issy by Julie Machart-Rabanne (14), Salma Zemzem (95). Goals for Montpellier by Maëlle Lakrar (53). This is another surprise of this 16^th round. Even if Montpellier did not play badly, they were not able to bother Issy who probably wanted more to win than them. Issy, who are battling against relegation in D1 Arkema being tenth with only 7 points having played one game more than bottom club, Le Havre, who have five points. They were able to defeat the 4^th  placed side of D1 Arkema. Montpellier are on a dangerous slope as their last win was five games ago and they practically already lost the battle for the third place in D1 Arkema. Issy’s win ensures they have now gone further than ever before in the French Cup.