Goals: Chawinga (27e), Albert (70e) and Katoto (73e) for Parisians
Two out of two. After Olympique Lyonnais qualified against Benfica on Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain also booked their ticket to the semi-finals of the Champions League by making short work of BK Häcken on Thursday (3-0 victory) . The Parisiennes, who had struggled to win 2-1 in the first leg in the cold Sweden, will meet the Lyonnaises in the next round.
It was practically the same icy squalls that welcomed the locals for their return to the Parc des Princes, which saw its ranks deserted, except by the ultras. On the field, the deserters are Swedish, with only five shots, including two on target in 90 minutes. Including two thanks to the star who had already made the difference in the first leg: Rosa Kafaji (7e22e). The rest of the game is a stroll by Tabitha Chawinga in her left lane, who has fun putting away for Grace Geyoro (9e) or plunges headlong alone into losing duels (15e17e). Her partner in attack Marie-Antoinette Katoto multiplies the strikes in the small outside net (10e19e), without being as dangerous as this lobbed center (shot?) from Sandy Baltimore which forces Jennifer Falk to make a two-step save (18e). It is ultimately the Malawian who will deliver PSG, at the conclusion of a breakthrough from Katoto with a big cross shot ending in the back post (1-0, 27e). A first period which ends with a completely missed header from the number 9 of the Blues, to celebrate his call-up of the day.
Rain of goals and confidence
The second half will surprisingly be much less lively, despite the goals piled up by the Parisiennes. The American midfielder Korbin Albert first, yet in the heart of a controversy for sharing and likes content of a homophobic and transphobic nature, offers itself a golazo on a heavy floating strike at 30 yards (2-0, 70e). Before seeing Marie-Antoinette Katoto finally materialize her chances after a huge effort from Sakina Karchaoui to mystify the Swedish defense (3-0, 73e). The Parisian striker had thought a few minutes earlier to score the break goal on a first combination with the will-o’-the-wisp from Salon-en-Provence, but Jennifer Falk had escaped, replaced by Aivi Luik on her line (50e). It is also she who wastes a good ball slipped by Tabitha Chawinga, in a failed face-to-face (61e).
A game lacking success for the Parisian, but ultimately rewarded with this caviar from one of her teammates in Bleues. Up front, she lost very few balls (94% successful passes), shot six times, completed two out of five dribbles attempted and three out of three of her deep passes. A performance which contrasts with its recent outings and which should reassure a France team lacking certainty on the eve of decisive matches for qualification for Euro 2025, against Ireland (April 5) and Sweden (April 9) . Against Benfica, Delphine Cascarino and Kadidiatou Diani set the tone six days before the start of the rally. Will the next French trio be completed by Marie-Antoinette Katoto? The three Blue sidekicks will meet in any case on April 20-21 and 27-28 for the semi-finals of the Champions League, in a Franco-French poster which ensures the FFF to place one of its foals in the Bilbao final.
Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3): Kiedrzynek – Le Guilly (Elimbi, 85e), Gaetino, De Almeida, Karchaoui (Ebayilin, 90e) – Baltimore (Fazer, 81e ), Albert, Geyoro – Vangsgaard (Traoré, 81e), Chawinga (Folquet, 90e) – Katoto. Coach : Jocelyn Prêcheur.
BK Hacken (4-2-3-1): Falk – Wijk, Rybrink, Luik, Nelhage – Sorensen, Curmark (Csiki, 80e) – Bergstrom (Kosola, 72e), Kafaji (Grant, 80e), Jusu Bah (Nilden, 72e) – Schöder (Larisey, 65e) Coach : Mak Lind.