Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday thumped a feeble Girondins de Bordeaux 4-1 to reach the Coupe de la Ligue final.
The win kept PSG on track for a third straight domestic treble and will boost confidence ahead of Sunday’s home clash with league leaders AS Monaco.
Angel Di Maria scored a spectacular free-kick in the first half and, after Edinson Cavani struck twice in the second half, sealed the win with a rasping drive from just outside the penalty area that went in off the post.
Photo: AFP
Cavani has 28 goals in 27 games this season and is well poised to beat his career-best mark of 38 in the 2012-2013 season with SSC Napoli.
He has completely emerged from Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shadow, and moved level with former Portugal striker Pauleta on PSG’s all-time list of scorers with 109. Only Ibrahimovic has more with 156.
Di Maria put PSG ahead in the 19th minute, thumping a curling free-kick into the top left corner from 30m out.
Photo: EPA
It was the winger’s best goal of a difficult season. He has largely struggled to recapture the form he showed last season when he had a great understanding with Ibrahimovic, who plays for Manchester United.
Striker Diego Roland equalized for the home side in the 32nd, ending PSG’s run of five games without conceding a goal.
However, forward Francois Kamano appeared to be in an offside position when he squared the ball to give Roland a tap in.
PSG regained the lead when winger Lucas threaded a fine pass through to Cavani and he drilled a low shot past goalkeeper Jerome Prior in the 60th.
His second goal was a poacher’s effort, as he swept the ball home from close range following a corner.
COPPA ITALIA
AP, NAPLES, Italy
SSC Napoli on Tuesday beat ACF Fiorentina 1-0 to advance to the Coppa Italia semi-finals and extend their unbeaten streak in all competitions to 15 matches.
Jose Callejon used a header to redirect a powerful cross from captain Marek Hamsik and the ball bent back the fingers of goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu midway through the second half.
Napoli are next to face either Juventus or AC Milan, who were yesterday to play in Turin, Italy.
The Partenopei, who are to face Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout round, have not lost since falling to Juventus 2-1 on Oct. 29 last year in Serie A.
Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina did well to stop an explosive effort from Federico Chiesa, Fiorentina’s 19-year-old forward, early on.
Three minutes later, Napoli’s newly signed forward, Leonardo Pavoletti, wasted a golden chance by shooting high, and just before the half-hour mark, Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne hit the crossbar with a free-kick.
Insigne was at it again in the 63rd, but Tatarusanu made a difficult save near the corner of the goal frame on another free-kick.
Napoli’s Elseid Hysaj picked up his second yellow in the 90th and Fiorentina’s Maximiliano Olivera was shown his second yellow in added time.
COPA DEL REY
AFP, MADRID
Deportivo Alaves on Tuesday became the first side to book their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, as a 0-0 draw at home to second-division club AD Alcorcon was enough to seal a 2-0 aggregate win.
Ibai Gomez’s two late goals in last week’s first leg had given the first-division side a commanding advantage.
However, the Basques had to rely on goalkeeper Adrian Ortola to prevent Alcorcon — who caused one of the biggest shocks in Copa del Rey history by eliminating Real Madrid in 2009 — a route back into the tie through efforts from Nelson and Ivi either side of halftime.
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