Paris Saint-Germain secured their place in the **Coupe de France final** with a 2-0 victory over **Toulouse** on Wednesday night, but the match’s decisive moment came not from star forwards **Ezequiel Lavezzi** or **Ángel Di María**, but from unlikely hero **Nicolas Douchez**.
PSG’s third-choice goalkeeper, handed a rare start, produced a crucial save in the 87th minute when he denied **Martin Braithwaite** from the penalty spot. The spot-kick, awarded under controversial circumstances, offered Toulouse a chance to get back into the game. Instead, Douchez guessed the right way and parried the Dane’s effort, sealing PSG’s place in the final.
The veteran keeper later revealed that he owed the stop to the advice of teammate **Serge Aurier**. The Ivorian full-back, who previously played for Toulouse and knows Braithwaite well, tipped off Douchez on where the striker usually aims his penalties.
> \*“It’s simple,” Douchez explained after the match. *“I just asked Serge, who knows Braithwaite well, to tell me where he takes them. Serge told me he usually crosses. It’s a little gift from Serge, so much the better.”*
Earlier in the evening, PSG had already taken control through goals from **Lavezzi** and **Di María**, but Toulouse’s late chance could have turned the closing stages into a nervy affair. Instead, Douchez’s intervention preserved PSG’s clean sheet and ensured another step toward domestic silverware for **Laurent Blanc’s** side.
With the Parisians chasing success on all fronts, the contribution of squad players like Douchez highlights the depth and unity of a team determined to dominate French football.
