PARIS, 29 April 2004 — French giants Paris Saint Germain maintained their push for the domestic double yesterday as they won a penalty shootout 4-3 against Nantes to progress to the French Cup final after a dramatic match ended 1-1.
It was the second time in 11 days that the Canaries had tasted defeat in a penalty shootout having lost the League Cup final to Sochaux but this one will be even more bitter having leveled the match in second-half injury-time and then had two chances to win in the shootout.
PSG will play either Second Division Chateauroux or Third Division Dijon in the final, the winner of their clash later on Wednesday is guaranteed a place in the UEFA Cup next term as Paris are virtually certain to finish in a Champions League spot.
Fabrice Fiorese’s 50th minute effort for PSG looked to be enough to inflict a second Cup disappointment but Colombian international defender Mario Yepes’ injury-time header leveled matters with Paris’ keeper Lionel Letizi stranded.
The match stayed at a stalemate throughout extra-time leading to the penalties and at one stage looked to be in Nantes favor after their ‘keeper Mikael Landreau — criticized after his showboating before taking his penalty in the League Cup final which was saved and handed Sochaux the trophy — produced two successive stops to leave teammate Frederic da Rocha with the chance to put them into the final.
However Letizi redeemed himself from his mistake over Yepes’ equalizer by saving and while Landreau pulled off one more save off Bernard Mendy it was not enough as Nantes’ two subsequent penalty takers shot high over the bar to hand the revived giants a place in the final.
Saudi Arabia’s Olympic Chances Take a Knock
Staff Writer adds: Saudi Arabia chances of qualifying for the Olympic Soccer Tournament took a knock when they went down fighting to Kuwait 1-0 yesterday at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia have one more match to play in the Asian Group qualifiers in which Oman beat Iraq 2-0 yesterday. Oman and Kuwait top the group with eight points apiece while the Saudis are third with the Iraqis propping up the group.
Though the Saudis dominated the match throughout with Nadji Majrashi, Saleh Bashir and Yasser Al-Qahtani failing to convert many a chances that came their way. The Kuwaitis were well-organized in defense and relied on swift counters on the break.
And from one such move they secured their winner in injury time. With the Saudi defense well up, a counter raid caught the Saudis flat out of position and Musaed Nada scored.
The Omani team beat Iraq with two clean strikes in Muscat. Badr Al-Maimani (29th) and Yousuf Shaban (44th) scored for the Omanis.
Maradona Gets Out of Bed for First Time in 11 Days
In Buenos Aires, Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has been able to get out of bed for the first time since being admitted to hospital 11 days ago with severe heart and lung problems, a spokesman for Argentine president Nestor Kirchner said yesterday.
Maradona, 43, has also been making satisfactory recovery from pneumonia, following his April 18 emergency arrival at the Swiss-Argentine Clinic.
Presidential spokesman Miguel Nunez said he got the news on Maradona getting out of bed from the player’s ex-wife Claudia Villafane, who has been constantly at his bedside.
Nunez, who had called Villafane to tell her how happy the president was at Maradona’s improvement, said Kirchner intends to telephone Maradona in the next few hours.
Maradona is still sedated but has been able to speak to doctors and nurses though not without a little difficulty. The player has also asked doctors for permission to see international football friendly between Morocco and Argentina in Casablanca, an indication of his improving health, according to observers.
