Paris Saint-Germain cruised to the semifinals of the Coupe de France with a resounding 7-0 victory over fourth-tier side Stade Briochin at Roazhon Park on February 26, 2025. The match showcased PSG's offensive prowess as goals from João Neves, Gonçalo Ramos, Désiré Doué, Senny Mayulu, and Ousmane Dembélé led the Parisians to their comfortable win.
PSG's manager, Luis Enrique, made several changes to the lineup following their recent narrow victory against Olympique Lyonnais. Notably, Gianluigi Donnarumma was absent from the squad, but promising midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery returned from injury, taking the field for the final twenty minutes. The starting XI included Safonov; Achraf Hakimi, Beraldo, Hernandez, and Pacho; Mayulu, João Neves, and Fabian Ruiz; Kvaratskhelia, Gonçalo Ramos, and Doué.
The match began with Paris dominating possession and creating early chances, including Gonçalo Ramos's header, which was cleared off the line by the Briochin defense. The deadlock was finally broken when João Neves scored the opening goal from close range after following up on Désiré Doué's shot, which ricocheted off the crossbar at the 16-minute mark.
The momentum stayed with the Parisians, and just before half-time, Komath Gonçalo Ramos doubled the lead with another well-worked goal, making it 2-0 at the 36-minute mark. The halftime whistle blew with PSG comfortably leading by two goals and firmly controlling the match against their lower-tier opponents.
Early in the second half, PSG continued the onslaught as Kvaratskhelia was fouled inside the box. Ramos once again stepped up to the spot, converting the penalty at the 49th minute, stretching the lead to 3-0. Désiré Doué then made his mark by scoring the fourth goal just six minutes later, showcasing PSG's relentless attack.
Doué wasn’t satisfied with just one goal; he assisted Ramos for his third of the game shortly after, pushing the score to 5-0. To add to the impressive tally, Senny Mayulu followed suit, scoring the sixth goal at the 66-minute mark with another assist from Doué, marking his rising star status.
Finally, substitute Ousmane Dembélé capped off the night with the seventh goal at the 85th minute, rounding off what was described as "a perfect evening for Les Rouges et Bleus." The scoreline reflected PSG's dominance and ability to find the net with flair.
Throughout the match, Stade Briochin did try to counter and create opportunities, but the quality difference was evident. Their fans remained supportive, cheering for their team even as the goals racked up against them, demonstrating the pride and spirit of local football.
With this victory, Paris Saint-Germain solidifies their position as strong contenders to defend their title, having advanced to the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. The team is now set to face either Cannes, Dunkerque, or Reims next, as anticipation builds for the next steps of this thrilling cup competition.
PSG will next focus on their Ligue 1 campaign, facing LOSC Lille on March 1st, followed by a challenging match against Liverpool for the Round of 16 first-leg clash, which promises to be one of the most thrilling fixtures of the season.