PSG Edge Past Ajaccio to Reach Coupe de la Ligue Last 16
Paris Saint-Germain returned to winning ways on Wednesday night with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over AC Ajaccio in the Coupe de la Ligue, securing their place in the last 16 of the competition.
In a match played at the Stade François-Coty, it was the Corsican side who struck first. Johan Cavalli calmly converted a penalty in the 27th minute, putting PSG on the back foot and capitalising on an early mistake from Serge Aurier, who conceded the spot-kick.
Despite dominating possession, the Parisians struggled to break down Ajaccio’s compact defence in the first half. But a determined PSG side emerged from the break with renewed energy. Head coach Laurent Blanc, under mounting pressure after back-to-back defeats against Barcelona in the Champions League and Guingamp in Ligue 1, urged his players at halftime to show greater character.
That message clearly resonated. Edinson Cavani equalised for the visitors in the 55th minute, and shortly after, Serge Aurier made amends for his earlier error by scoring his first goal for PSG, heading in from a corner in the 80th minute. Jean-Christophe Bahebeck sealed the win just four minutes later with a composed finish to make it 3-1.
“We had a difficult start to the match,” Aurier told France 3 post-game. “Ajaccio were well positioned. We had to be patient. At halftime, the coach told us to show character. That’s what we did.”
The result ends a troubling run for PSG, who had been winless in two straight fixtures. It also offers a brief reprieve for Blanc, whose future has come under increasing scrutiny. While not a flawless performance, the Parisians’ comeback demonstrated their depth and determination ahead of a demanding second half of the season.
With a spot in the Coupe de la Ligue round of 16 now secured, PSG will look to build momentum heading into the winter break.
