PSG in last 16 of French Cup with scrappy 1-0 win at Lorient
PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain needed a late goal from winger Pablo Sarabia to win 1-0 at Lorient and reach the last 16 of the French Cup on Sunday.
Sarabia rose well in the 80th minute to powerfully head home a cross from captain Thiago Silva, who made a key block during injury time as Lorient pressed for an equalizer.
PSG coach Thomas Tuchel bemoaned the fact second-division leader Lorient defended in a low block with players rarely pushing forward.
But the home side still looked dangerous on the break with forward Yoane Wissa going close with a header late in the first half, and Silva needing to cut out a low cross from Vincent Le Goff in the 77th.
PSG had netted 19 goals in the previous four games but looked less threatening without star forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, who warmed up midway through the second half but didn't come on.
“It's good to play difficult matches. If you score a lot of goals all the time and everyone compliments you, then you might think it's easy,“ Tuchel said. “But it's never easy. That's why matches like these are important.“
Cup holder Rennes - which upset PSG in last year's final - advanced with a 2-0 win at fifth-tier Athlético Marseille thanks to defender Hamari Traoré's thumping strike from 25 meters out and a close-range effort from Brazilian forward Raphinha.
There were no upsets on the night as first-division sides Montpellier, Dijon and Angers also advanced.
Montpellier crushed second-division Caen 5-0 at home, with striker Andy Delort scoring twice, and Farid El-Melali netted two as Angers won 4-1 at fourth-tier Rouen.
English striker Stephy Mavididi, who is on loan from Italian champion Juventus, also grabbed a brace as Dijon thrashed Nimes 5-0 in an all-first division match. The match was close, however, until Dijon scored four times in the last 15 minutes.
Lyon won on Saturday and Marseille progressed on Friday to also reach the last 16.
