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Giants PSG and Lyon progress in Cup
PARIS (AFP) - Fallen giants Paris St Germain kept their domestic season alive with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Nimes in the French Cup.
But runaway league leaders Lyon were made to sweat by plucky Bayonne as they held on for a 2-1 victory.
Already out of the League Cup and fighting for their top flight lives in the league, the French Cup presents PSG with their only chance of domestic silverware.
And as the holders of the competition, following their 2-1 victory over Marseille in last year´s final, PSG showed that quite unlike their league form, they are not willing to give up this ghost without a fight.
Two-goal hero Bonaventure Kalou warned against getting over excited by this victory at home to third division opposition, although any victory in this dismal season is welcome.
"You have to put this victory in perspective but we played well without lacking respect for our opponents," he said.
"We had to stay in the same frame of mind (as Nimes). It was important to win in a way that could kick-start the machine."
PSG had former Argentine international Marcelo Gallardo making his debut for the club after a transfer window move back to France, where he played for Monaco from 1999 to 2003.
And Kalou was impressed with his new team-mate.
"He brings us his technique, his vision of the game and his experience at the top level. It´s easy to play with someone who has those qualities."
Any hopes Nimes had of causing an upset were shot halfway through the first period as PSG stormed to a 2-0 lead.
On nine minutes, Bernard Mendy sent a cross over to the back post and Portuguese forward Pedro Pauleta teed up his strike partner Kalou to slot home from close range.
The Ivory Coast international returned the favour on 22 minutes, getting his head to Gallardo´s through ball to set up Pauleta for number two.
But the pick of the game´s goals came in the second period.
Mendy played the ball down the right to Czech David Rozenhal whose subsequent one-two with Kalou played himself into a glorious shooting position.
What came next was quite unexpected as barely eight yards from goal and with only the keeper to beat from the corner of the six yard box, Rozenhal played the ball back to Kalou to flick into an unguarded net, fooling everyone.
Lyon, who fielded a weakened side against fourth division Bayonne, took a 10th minute lead after Emmanuel Degoul bundled Juninho´s corner into his own goal while under pressure from Loic Remy.
Bayonne were not deterred, though, and a shock seemed on the cards when captain Michel Bidegain scored probably the best goal of his life, hitting a screaming, swerving, dipping volley into the top corner from 35 yards on the hour mark.
Juninho saved the day for Lyon, though, firing home a free-kick with 15 minutes left to play.
On Saturday, Calais of the fourth division caused an upset by knocking out first division Lorient 2-0 with goals from Mathieu Hoguet and Djezon Boutoille.
And on-loan Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse scored a hat-trick as Marseille finally subdued fifth division Cambrai 4-1 after extra time.
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