Softfootball understands that Paris Saint-Germain’s dream of lifting a third straight Coupe de France title came crashing down on Monday night as they suffered a stunning 1-0 defeat to city rivals Paris FC at the Parc des Princes.
After the game PSG shared a post about the result via their official X account.
Ahead of the match, PSG’s head coach, who was honoured as Best Coach at the 2025 Globe Soccer Awards, waved off speculation about leaving the club early. In what will go down as one of the competition’s biggest upsets in recent years, the Ligue 2 side showed grit, patience and a bit of nerve to knock out the defending champions in the round of 32.
From the first whistle, PSG controlled the tempo just as expected. They dominated possession, pushing the ball around confidently, with Vitinha dictating play from midfield and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia regularly testing the visitors’ defence. Chances came and went, though, and that familiar cutting edge was strangely missing.
Despite piling up shots and spending long spells camped in Paris FC’s half, the breakthrough never arrived before the break.
Paris FC, meanwhile, were happy to sit deep and absorb pressure. They barely troubled PSG’s goal in the first half, but their organisation was impressive. Goalkeeper Obed Nkambadio was particularly sharp, making several key saves to frustrate the home side and keep the score level at halftime.
The second half followed a similar pattern, but with a twist. Substitutions from both benches changed the rhythm slightly, and Paris FC began to look more adventurous on the counter.
Then came the moment that stunned the stadium. In the 74th minute, a rare fast break saw Ilan Kebbal slip a clever pass through, and Jonathan Ikoné, facing his former club, calmly finished to make it 1-0.
PSG threw everything forward after that. Corners piled up, pressure increased, and nerves spread. Warren Zaïre-Emery rattled the crossbar late on, while other half-chances were blocked or hurried. Still, Paris FC refused to buckle, throwing bodies in the way and clearing their lines again and again.
When the final whistle blew, it was disbelief for PSG and pure joy for Paris FC. A famous Paris derby, and proof that the Coupe de France still does surprises, no matter who you are.
