Jonathan Ikoné made an unforgettable return to his former club as Paris FC secured a historic 1-0 victory over their local rivals Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 32 of the Coupe de France.
Ikoné, who developed his skills in the PSG youth setup, netted the decisive goal in the 74th minute, marking the underdogs’ first-ever win against their prestigious opponents.
Despite Paris Saint-Germain’s continuous pressure on the Paris FC goal, they came closest to scoring through Warren Zaïre-Emery, whose shot hit the bar in the 87th minute, ultimately leading to the champions’ elimination.
This was only the fourth meeting between the two teams, occurring just eight days after PSG’s 2-1 victory over Paris FC in Ligue 1, also held at the same venue.
Paris FC began the match positively, with Alimami Gory forcing a quick save from Lucas Chevalier. However, PSG soon gained the upper hand, with Vitinha coming close to scoring before Bradley Barcola wasted two opportunities nearing the half-hour mark.
Visiting goalkeeper Obed Nkambadio had a challenging night, making saves from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Gonçalo Ramos around halftime while the home side kept pressing.
Zaïre-Emery had an opportunity from a tight angle that was thwarted, and Barcola saw a shot blocked before Nkambadio again made a crucial save from Ousmane Dembélé.
With 16 minutes to go, Paris FC took the lead after intercepting the ball in midfield. Substitute Ilan Kebbal delivered a precise pass from the right side of the box, allowing Ikoné to finish clinically.
In a bid to equalize, the home side surged forward, but after Zaïre-Emery’s near miss, attempts from Désiré Doué and Vitinha went wide, enabling the visitors to secure a memorable victory.