A double by much-traveled French striker Pegguy Luyindula saw holders Paris Saint Germain to a 2-0 win over Nancy on Wednesday and a League Cup quarter-final date with the team they beat in last season’s final Lens.
Adding further spice to the last eight clash will be the vitriol that was aimed at a section of PSG fans following the final for bringing in highly abusive banners — aimed at Northern French people where Lens is — to the match.
However, PSG coach Paul Le Guen preferred to look at the match which will be in Lens at the highly-charged Felix Bollaert Stadium, which is famous for having a capacity with more people than live in Lens.
PHOTO: AP
“I am very happy to go back to Lens, I have good memories of Bollaert and I always like to play them,” Le Guen said. “It will be a good match in a red hot atmosphere but it will be above all a good soccer match.
“Time has passed [since the banner incident] and one can only hope for intelligent behavior and a good match,” added the former Rangers and Lyon handler.
On Tuesday seven times French champions Lyon and former French champions Auxerre were major casualties as they lost 3-1 and 2-0 to Second Division sides Metz and Vannes respectively.
Auxerre — who have won just one of their previous seven matches in all competitions — followed fellow First Division side Valenciennes in becoming scalps for Vannes, who were tasting welcome revenge for two previous French Cup defeats — both by Auxerre.
Vannes — unbeaten at home this season — will now face Metz in the quarter-finals.
Metz, who are fourth in the Second Division, took full advantage of a Lyon side that rested several of their stars including defenders Jean-Alain Boumsong and Anthony Reveillere and French internationals Jeremy Toulalan and Karim Benzema.
Metz opened the scoring in the 21st minute through a header by Victor Mendy from a cross by Sebastien Renouard and then the former returned the favor by setting up the latter before half-time.
Lyon reduced the deficit shortly after the break with a header by Brazilian defender Cris from a Kim Kallstrom corner, but it was game over in the 66th minute as Romain Rocchi took advantage of the hesitation of reserve goalkeeper Remy Vercoutre following a poor back pass by Cameroon international Jean II Makoun.
The other First Division outfit to lose to lower league opposition on Tuesday were predictably struggling Sochaux, who went down 1-0 to Second Division Lens, for whom defender Ala Eddine Yahia scored the decisive goal with a header in the 109th minute.
■ ITALIAN CUP
AFP, ROME
Udinese survived having two players sent off to beat Reggina on penalties and progress to the Italian Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Midfielder Luca Togiozzi was the fall guy, missing the 20th penalty in a shootout, to give Pasquale Marino’s side an 8-7 win.
Equally culpable was Icelandic midfielder Emil Hallfredsson, who hit the post from a penalty one minute from time and then again with a freekick two minutes from the end of extra-time.
Udinese coach Marino will be far from happy though as goalkeeper Emanuele Belardi and striker Fabio Quagliarella were both sent off.
Penalties also played a part in Sampdoria’s 2-1 win over Empoli.
Firstly Bruno Fornaroli put Sampdoria 2-0 ahead at halftime, adding to Emiliano Bonazzoli’s opener.
Then after Francesco Lodi pulled one back for Empoli in the second half, Reto Ziegler missed a chance to put Sampdoria back in a two-goal lead from 12 yards, but the home side held on to progress.
In the other match on Wednesday, Napoli beat Salernitana 3-1, the result secured when Marek Hamsik fired home a penalty early in the second half.
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Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
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