PARIS: A 91st-minute own goal by Issa Cissokho on Saturday gave Paris St-Germain a dramatic Coupe de France final match victory over Angers.
Unai Emery’s side looked set for extra time but Cissokho, brother of Aston Villa defender Aly, headed a corner into his own net in injury time.
Angers, playing in the final for the first time since 1957, escaped in the first half when Angel di Maria’s deflected cross hit the post.
But Nicolas Pepe then hit the post at the other end for the underdogs.
Emery has been under intense pressure after a disappointing first season at the Parc de Princes, with PSG finishing eight points behind Ligue 1 champions Monaco.
They were also dumped out of the UEFA Champions League in the last 16.
Victory at the Stade de France ensured they will end the season with two trophies, having won 4-1 against Monaco in the French League Cup final in April.
But Emery has still arguably underachieved since replacing Laurent Blanc, who won the domestic title in each of his three seasons in charge.
They found it hard work against a physical Angers.
Their defender Ismael Traore was lucky not to be sent off in the second half for an appalling studs-first lunge into Julian Draxler’s shin.
Di Maria hit a free-kick into the side netting, and Edinson Cavani went close late on.
But Angers looked as if they had held out for an additional half-hour until Cissokho’s moment of misery in the first minute of stoppage time.
BARCA BEAT ALAVES:
In Spain, Lionel Messi was inspired as FC Barcelona beat Alaves 3-1 on Saturday to secure the Copa del Rey for the third year running and give coach Luis Enrique a winning send-off.
Luis Enrique is leaving the club after three years in charge at the Nou Camp.
Ibai Gomez hit the post for Alaves before Messi scored his 54th goal of the season with a 20-yard curler.
Theo Hernandez bent in a free-kick to equalise, but Neymar turned in from close range and then Messi played in Paco Alcacer right on half-time.
It has been a disappointing season for FC Barcelona, who finished runners-up to Real Madrid in La Liga and were eliminated from the Champions League by Juventus in the quarter-finals.
They did at least restore some pride with a victory over last season’s second division champions in what was the final match to be played at Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderon Stadium.
There were some records set along the way as Enrique’s team retained the trophy, having beaten Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla in the last two finals.
Messi, who struck the opener after exchanging passes with Neymar outside the penalty area, became the first player to score in four Copa finals since Athletic Bilbao’s Telmo Zarra in 1950.
Neymar, who forced in Barca’s second when Messi played in Andre Gomes to cross low from the right, is the first man in recent years to score in three successive Copa finals.
This has not happened since Ferenc Puskas, who achieved the feat with Real Madrid between 1960 and 1962.
Messi’s through pass for the third goal was sublime, and was finished calmly by Alcacer — who has been inconsistent since his move from Valencia last summer.
The one major worry for FC Barcelona was a nasty head injury to Javier Mascherano, who was carried off on a stretcher after an early collision with Marcos Llorente,
He suffered a concussion as well as a cut to his head, and an injury to his right knee that will need further tests, the club said afterwards.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 to win the German DFB Cup.
Ousmane Dembele scored first for Dortmund in the 8th minute before Ante Rebic equalised in the 29th minute. A second half goal by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed the victory for Dortmund.
