PSG win the French Cup and the double in Kylian Mbappe’s last game

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappe (C) lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates on the podium after winning the French Cup final against Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, northern France on May 25, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 26 May 2024
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PSG win the French Cup and the double in Kylian Mbappe’s last game

  • Mbappe: Now, I have nothing left with PSG. But I’m very happy to have been able to finish with a trophy
  • PSG won the league and cup for the first time since 2020 when they achieved a domestic treble by also lifting the now defunct League Cup

VILLENEUVE D’ASCQ, France: Paris Saint-Germain beat Lyon 2-1 in the French Cup final and completed the domestic double in Kylian Mbappé’s last game for the club on Saturday.

France winger Ousmane Dembele and Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz scored for PSG in the first half.

Lyon defender Jake O’Brien got a consolation goal in the second half.

PSG won the league and cup for the first time since 2020 when they achieved a domestic treble by also lifting the now defunct League Cup.

Mbappe celebrated with a big roar after the final whistle. With an equally big smile on his face, he hugged and high-fived his teammates. The ecstatic PSG staff lifted Mbappe and threw him in the air.

“You feel a bit more the weight of things because you realize that it’s really over,” Mbappe told broadcaster beIN Sports. “When I said goodbye to the Parc des Princes, there were still some games left, so you are still focused on what awaits you. Now, I have nothing left with PSG. But I’m very happy to have been able to finish with a trophy.”

Despite losing in the final, Lyon still qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in the league.

Dembélé opened the scoring in the 22nd minute by heading home a cross from Nuno Mendes.

Ruiz doubled the lead by converting a rebound in the 34th after his header was blocked by O’Brien.

Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri pulled off some outstanding saves in the opening minutes, denying Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery, but misjudged the flight of the ball when Mendes made the cross for the opener.

O’Brien cut the deficit to 2-1 by heading in a corner in the 55th.

PSG has struggled in the air this season and nearly conceded from another corner in the 64th, but goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped a header from Lyon left back Nicolas Tagliafico over the bar.

“The players are disappointed but let’s not forget that we must also be proud of what we have done,” Lyon coach Pierre Sage told broadcaster beIN Sports.

Lyon was bottom of the league in December but racked up more points than any other club in the second half of the season to finish sixth.

Mbappe tried hard to find the net in his last outing for PSG. A curling shot from the edge of the box didn’t trouble Perri in the 20th and he volleyed over the bar in the 41st.

In seven seasons with PSG, Mbappe has won 15 trophies, including four French Cups.

Although Mbappe did not add to his tally, he leaves as PSG’s all-time top scorer in all competitions with 256 in 308 appearances.

“I’m happy to have been part of its history and to have made it a bit,” Mbappe said.

The French Cup final was marred by violence as Lyon and PSG supporters clashed on a highway leading to the venue a few hours before kickoff.

Supporters threw flares and windows were smashed on buses full of supporters. Some buses were set on fire.

The match was relocated to Stade Pierre Mauroy in the north of France because of preparations for the Olympic Games.

Villeneuve d’Ascq became the first city outside the Greater Paris area to host the French Cup final since the competition’s inception in 1917.


Newcastle oust 10-man Villa from FA Cup, Man City beat Beckham’s Salford

Updated 14 February 2026
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Newcastle oust 10-man Villa from FA Cup, Man City beat Beckham’s Salford

  • Both Villa and Newcastle have failed to win the competition since the 1950s

LONDON: Newcastle beat 10-man Aston Villa 3-1 thanks to a double from Sandro Tonali to reach the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday as Marc Guehi scored his first goal for Manchester City in a 2-0 victory over fourth-tier Salford.
Both Villa and Newcastle have failed to win the competition since the 1950s and another opportunity for Unai Emery’s men to end a 30-year wait for silverware vanished after a first half red card for goalkeeper Marco Bizot.
Tammy Abraham had fired the home side in front with his first goal since returning to Villa last month.
But the game swung in the Magpies’ favor when Bizot charged off his line to wipe out Jacob Murphy and deny a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Newcastle’s fightback saved the officials from an embarrassing moment becoming more controversial when Lucas Digne’s handball, that was clearly inside the box, was given as a free-kick instead of a penalty.
With VAR not in operation at this stage of the competition, the decision could not be reviewed.
But Newcastle levelled from the resulting free-kick anyway as Tonali’s strike deflected past the helpless Emi Martinez.
Tonali has been linked with a move to Arsenal come the end of the season and the Italian showed why he is in-demand with a blistering strike from outside the box to turn the tie around.
Nick Woltemade then netted his first goal in 15 games to take Newcastle, who last lifted the trophy in 1955, into the last 16.
Owned by Manchester United legends David Beckham and Gary Neville, Salford were playing in the fourth round for the first time in their history.
The League Two side were humbled 8-0 when they faced City in the third round last season, but pushed Pep Guardiola’s men far closer on Saturday.
“They defended really well, so tight and we didn’t attack the spaces the way we should. The game was flat until we scored the second goal,” Guardiola said.
City took an early lead through Alfie Dorrington’s own goal, but there were only nine minutes left when England defender Guehi delivered the decisive blow with his maiden goal since signing from Crystal Palace in January.
- Burnley gamble backfires -

Third-tier Mansfield produced the upset of the day by winning 2-1 at Premier League Burnley to reach the fifth round for the first time since 1975.
Burnley went into the game bolstered by their first league win since October over Crystal Palace in midweek, but boss Scott Parker made nine changes and the gamble backfired.
Burnley took the lead through Josh Laurent’s 21st-minute goal, but Nigel Clough’s team, who sit in mid-table in League One, staged an impressive fightback in the second half.
Rhys Oates headed in the equalizer in the 53rd minute and Louis Reed capped a fine individual performance with a brilliant free-kick 10 minutes from full-time.
Ten-man West Ham edged through as the in-form Crysencio Summerville clinched a 1-0 win at League One Burton after extra-time.
Freddie Potts was sent off soon after Summerville’s strike in the first period of extra-time, but the Premier League strugglers held on to survive a gruelling fourth round clash.
After eliminating Manchester United in round three, Brighton are aiming to deliver another upset when they visit Liverpool later at Anfield.