Matvey Safonov he literally saved the PSG from a potential fool. The goalkeeper who replaced Donnarumma – out after the facial injury following the slip taken by Singo – took center stage this evening and in the tense minutes of the penalty kicks to access the round of 16 of the French Cup he canceled out two shots from the spot, giving victory and passage to the next round to Luis Enrique's band.
Speaking post-match to the microphones of beIN SportsSafonov couldn't contain his emotions: “I'm happy, I don't think I'm the man of the match. Saving penalties is normal for a goalkeeper, it was a difficult match anyway.”
Then the Russian goalkeeper stopped in the mixed zone to answer the journalists' questions: “It was a difficult match, sometimes we were lucky. Everyone has secrets, but I won't reveal them. What about Paris? It's very interesting for me, it's a new level and of course I needed time to adapt. Now I understand the coach's requests better (Luis Enrique, ed.) and everything is easier for me. When I arrived, the first training sessions were terrible because things were going too fast. I needed time to increase my level and now I am ready to play, to be part of this team” – the words reported by The Team.
The result
Lens 1-1 PSG (4-3 on penalties)
Love 66', Bouquets 70'
The official lineups
LENS (5-3-2): Koffi; Frankowski, Khusanov, Danso, Medina, Machado; Thomasson, El Aynaoui, Fulgini; Diouf; Nzola. Trainer: Still.
PSG (4-3-3): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Neves, Ruiz, Vitinha; Lee, Dembélé, Doué. Trainer: Luis Enrique.
Thirty-second French Cup
Saturday 21 December
Bourgoin-Jallieu 4-1
Cannes-Grenoble 3-2
Dives-Saint-Denis 2-0
Hauts Lyonnais-Toulouse 3-4 dcr (0-0 in regulation)
La Roche-Brest 0-1
Briochin Stadium-Le Havre 1-0
Court-Nice 1-1 (3-5 d.c.r.)
Feignies-Aulnoye-Lyon 1-2
JA Drancy-Nantes 0-4
Le Puy en Velay-Montpellier 4-0
Thaon-Amiens 2-1
Tours-Lorient (rinviata)
RC Calais-Strasbourg 0-3
Sunday 22 December
Auxerre-Dunkirk 0-1
Bordeaux-Rennes 1-4
Mutzig-Reims 1-3
Saint-Jean-Monaco 1-4
Saint-Etienne-Olympique Marseille 0-4
FC 93-Angers 0-1
Guingamp-Caen 2-1
Marmande-Le Mans 0-7
Saint-Philbert-Quevilly Rouen 0-2
Sochaux-Clermont 0-0 (5-3 on penalties)
Thionville-Valenciennes 2-2 (4-5 penalties)
Lens-Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 (4-3 penalties)
*qualified ones in bold
