PARIS - Two last-gasp Sylvain
Wiltord goals gave Olympique Lyon a 2-1 home win over Paris St Germain in a
French League Cup second-round tie on Wednesday.
PSG opened the scoring with a penalty from midfielder Paulo Cesar on 58
minutes and looked set to hand Lyon their first defeat of the season until
Wiltord levelled the tie from a Tiago pass with two minutes remaining.
Wiltord was on target a few seconds later, this time from a headed pass by
Loic Remy, to put Lyon through to the quarter-finals.
Lyon, eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1, are undefeated both at home
and in the Champions League this season and have won their last 12 competitive
matches.
"I had stopped believing we could do it but the players had not," said Lyon
coach Gerard Houllier. "They kept going for it, showing plenty of character. It
was a great match, very emotional."
PSG fought bravely and seized their chance after Uruguay midfielder Cristian
Rodriguez was brought down in the box by Lyon goalkeeper Remy Vercoutre.
Five-times French champions Lyon, who were missing the Brazil pair of Juninho
and Fred through suspension and injury respectively, then put their visitors
under sustained pressure until Wiltord saved them.
MARSEILLE OUT
Marseille had earlier suffered another setback, losing 4-1 at St Etienne in
an eventful tie featuring two penalties and a red card.
The former European champions were comprehensively beaten again just three
days after losing 4-1 at home to rampant Lyon in a top-of-the-table Ligue 1
clash.
Marseille were 3-1 down when their Nigerian midfielder Wilson Oruma was sent
off for a second booking in the 66th minute.
Mali defender Fousseiny Diawara had put St Etienne ahead from close range
after 33 minutes and midfielder Yohan Hautcoeur doubled their advantage just
before halftime.
Forward Batefimbi Gomis made it 3-0 in the 50th before Marseille pulled one
back five minutes later with a penalty by forward Mickael Pagis.
Argentine midfielder Daniel Bilos then wrapped up St Etienne's win, also from
the penalty spot, in the 73rd minute of a tense match marred by seven yelllow
cards.
Girondins Bordeaux also reached the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win at Auxerre
courtesy of a first-half goal by forward Jean-Claude Darcheville.
Striker Lilian Laslandes missed a penalty for Bordeaux in added time.
