This finale was unbalanced on paper. It turned into a real nightmare for the amateurs of Yzeure, residents of the second division, facing Parisiennes without an ounce of pity. Faster, more powerful, more skilful, more technical… The reigning French champions swept away their opponents from Allier (8-0). It was already 5-0 after less than fifteen minutes of play and we knew that the end of the afternoon would be very long for Yzeure under the Dijon sun.
Football can hold surprises, it’s true. But to see Yzeure and his budget equivalent to six months’ salary of the only Kadidiatou Diani defeating PSG would have been an earthquake. The Gaston-Gérard stadium, filled with around 7,000 people, did not move a millimeter. Paris knew that it would win its third Coupe de France there after 2010 and 2018. It remained to determine the way for the players of Didier Ollé-Nicolle.
Authors of a brilliant course so far (Lyon in the 8th, Montpellier in the quarters, Fleury in the half), PSG played the Coupe de France upside down with this poster against amateurs in the final. But its success is well deserved. Under the eyes of sporting director Leonardo and manager of the women’s section Ulrich Ramé, the Parisians “respected” their opponents, not underestimating them.
Limited by the number (a coach as playful, only four substitutes) and too shy, the Yzeuriennes suffered the initial lightning. Star Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored a hat-trick within half an hour of a header, taking her tally to 32 in 32 games in all competitions. Paulina Dudek, Sara Däbritz and Ashley Lawrence also martyred the poor Canadian goalkeeper Taylor Beitz in the first period.
The approximately 1,500 enthusiastic fans of Yzeure did not sulk and their drums opposed the songs of the 300 ultras of the PSG, always faithful. But the nightmare continued after the break. New goals from Ashley Lawrence and Sara Däbritz definitely gave Paris the title and the biggest victory in history in the Coupe de France final.
