My Naija News - Lyon Deny PSG French Cup Double

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Lyon Deny PSG French Cup Double

Written by Adeleke Afolayan

Monday, 26 May 2008

A lone goal from Sidney Govou gave French league champions Olympique Lyon their first French Cup win since 1973 over capital club Paris Saint Germain in a match played at the Stade de France in Paris.

Lyon with the win denied PSG a local Cup double and won for themselves a double of trophies following a seventh consecutive Ligue 1 success last weekend. PSG meanwhile had won the French League Cup back in February.

The Paris club had only escaped relegation from the Ligue 1 on the final day with a 2-1 away win at Sochaux and will now represent France in the UEFA Cup next season along with AS Nancy from the league.

The match true to its scoreline was a keenly contested encounter despite the difference between both sides in the league as Govou's goal came in the 102nd minute of a tense final after the French international powered a shot off Karim Benzema's cross.

The Parisians would rue their ill luck on a day they dominated the French champions. Zoumana Camara saw his effort crash off the crossbar after just 10 minutes while Sylvian Armand had a goal disallowed just before halftime with teammate Mario Yepes offside.

Yepes almost made up but saw his header crash off Lyon's bar while Gregory Coupet, linked with a move to England, kept Lyon in the tie with a crucial block in added time from Bernard Mendy's shot.

The game was Coupet's last for the club after recently declaring he would leave at the end of teh season and North London side Tottenham Hotspur linked with a deal worth about $4m for the French international goalkeeper.

Over in Italy, AS Roma gained revenge for losing the league title to Inter Milan with a 2-1 win in the final of the Coppa Italia played at the Olimpico in Rome. The win was Roma's second consecutive in the Cup over Inter though the Nerazurri won the previous two editions of the Cup.

Roma's goals in the final came through defenders Phillippe Mexes and Simone Perrotta either side of halftime while Inter pulled one back through youngster Hugo Gomes Pele on the hour mark.

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