LILLE 1-0 PSG
Lille have been crowned the winners of the French Cup (the Coupe de France) for the first time since 1955 after overturning traditional Cup specialists Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Final at the Stade de France (Saint-Denis), who were themselves aiming to retain the trophy they won last year.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, it was not until the final whistle was near when the level of action picked up, with Lille substitute Ludovic Obraniak curling in a well-executed free-kick from the right wing (89′), even if the intent to score might not have been fully there. This was almost immediately followed by a Lille counter-attack from the PSG restart, with Gervinho being brought down by PSG keeper Gregory Coupet, though the former France international redeemed himself by saving the resulting penalty from Yohan Cabaye. The save was not a stepping stone to an equaliser, though, as Lille held out to win 1-0.
The win puts Lille on course for a league and cup double, while the Coupe de France was the 6th time the side from the north-east of France, who pride themselves on being well-run and planned-out as an organisation, have won the competition, which is considered one of the largest club contests in the world by participant numbers (a total of 7,449 clubs (mostly from France, with a handful from related nations such as Monaco, New Caledonia, Reunion, Martinique, French Guyana, Tahiti and Guadeloupe) entered for the 2010-11 season). With over 7,000 clubs expected again next year, who will come through to win the 2011-12 Coupe de France?
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