NEYMAR LEADS PSG INTO CUP FINAL

Brazilian international Neymar came off the bench to lead defending champions Paris Saint Germain (PSG) into the French Cup final at the expense of Montpellier. PSG needed penalties to see off their opponents after the two teams shared a four-goal salvo.

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Neymar came on for Italian national team right-back Alessandro Florenzi as manager Mauricio Pochettino tried to win the game after a late equaliser against his team.

PSG talisman KylianMbappegave the French Ligue 1 champions the lead inside ten minutes before Algerian international GaetanLaborde scored the equaliseron the stroke of half-time as the two teams settled for a 1-1 draw at the end of the first half.

It tookfive second half minutes for PSG to regain the lead courtesy the impressive Mbappe. PSG had several opportunities to score a third goal to wrap up the game but didn’t take it and they paid dearly for the lack of cutting edge after Algerian international Andy Delort scored a second equaliser off the assist from the aforementioned Laborde. The second Montpellier equaliser came shortly after the exit of two-goal hero Mbappe.

Neymar was given a yellow card during his four-minute cameo appearance for a foul on TejiSavanier. The Brazilian could not do much to prevent a shootout as the two teams ended the game with two goals apiece.

PSG and Montpellier had to go through the rigours of penalty shootout to determine the team that would face the winner of the second semi-final between AS Monaco and fourth tier club GFA Rumilly-Vallieres.

Neymar was one of the first ten players to score in the shootout before it entered sudden death.Everton loaneeMoise Kean scored his penalty for PSG in sudden death but Montpellier defensive midfielder Junior Sambia missed his own penalty to send PSG into the final via a 6-5 win in the shootout. PSG and AS Monaco/GFA Rumilly-Vallieres will face off in the French Cup final on May 19.