Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a typically brilliant goal as Paris Saint-Germain beat Lorient 1-0 away in a Coupe de France semi-final on Tuesday.
The holders and Ligue 1 champions are now to face either second-tier side Sochaux-Montbeliard or archrivals Olympique de Marseille in the final.
The Parisians are bidding for a second successive clean sweep of the domestic honors in France and face Lille OSC in the Coupe de la Ligue final this weekend.
Photo: Reuters
Ibrahimovic picked up the ball from a Angel di Maria pass and ran straight at goal from way out before curling a shot with the outside of his right boot around Lorient goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte from the edge of the area.
Everyone had been expecting the Swede to pass, but instead he racked up a 43rd goal in all competitions this season.
Ligue 1’s 11th-placed side Lorient had put up little to worry the Parisians until then, but second-string goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu made a crucial late save when called upon.
Both Ibrahimovic and strike partner Edinson Cavani went close as PSG peppered the Lorient goal in the first half after coach Laurent Blanc had put out a strong side.
PSG midfielder Blasie Matuidi deflected suggestions it had been a close game, saying his side had always been comfortable.
“We are in the final for the second year running. That was the objective and we did it. We were not great and neither was the pitch, but we did the necessary,” he told French television.
PSG became the first team to bow out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage for four years in a row when they were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by Manchester City last week.
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