PARIS: Saint-Etienne remain in contention to win both domestic Cups after beating Lille 3-2 on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals of the French Cup.
Les Verts, who beat Lille on penalties in the semi-final of the League Cup last month, repeated the trick against the northern outfit at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, although they had to come from behind to do so.
Marko Basa headed in a free-kick from in-form Dimitri Payet to give Lille the lead, but a farcical Aurelien Chedjou own-goal, when a kick-out from goalkeeper Steeve Elana ricocheted off him into the net, restored parity.
A deflected effort from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put Saint-Etienne in front, and Renaud Cohade set up Brandao for a cool finish for the hosts’ third goal, before Salomon Kalou pulled one back after a Payet shot had been pushed out by ‘keeper Stephane Ruffier.
Elsewhere in other matches on Tuesday, Troyes won 2-1 away to Sochaux while Evian-Thonon-Gaillard beat second tier Le Havre 3-1. AFP
