Dembele Seals PSG's Coupe de France Final Spot with Late Strike

Ousmane Dembele scored a late goal to seal PSG's 4-2 comeback win over Dunkerque and book their spot in the Coupe de France final.

Paris Saint-Germain narrowly avoided a monumental upset in the Coupe de France semi-finals, rallying from a two-goal deficit to defeat Dunkerque 4-2 and advance to the final. This thrilling comeback keeps PSG's bid for a 16th Coupe de France title alive, with just one more match standing between them and glory.

Dunkerque, competing in only their second semi-final in the competition's history, shocked the heavily favored PSG by taking an early lead. Les Maritimes capitalized on a rare scoring opportunity just seven minutes into the match, as Alec Georgen expertly flicked Naatan Skytta's free-kick to the back post. Vincent Sasso then unleashed a powerful shot that crashed onto the underside of the crossbar and into the net, leaving PSG stunned.

Luis Enrique's side quickly regained their attacking momentum, but Luis Castro's Dunkerque side defended resiliently, often with all players behind the ball. Despite their best efforts, PSG's talented trio of Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, and Desire Doue were repeatedly denied by the determined Dunkerque defense.

Dunkerque's unwavering defiance was rewarded in the 27th minute, as they sent the Stade Pierre-Mauroy into a frenzy. Gaetan Courtet headed Ewen Jaouen's long ball towards Muhannad Al-Saad, who expertly got behind Nuno Mendes before clinically finishing with precision.

After withstanding a barrage of PSG shots, Dunkerque's defenses were finally breached by Dembele's venomous strike in the 45th minute. Both Skytta and Al-Saad had shots blocked before the break, and Dunkerque's frustration boiled over three minutes into the second half. A contentious corner was awarded to PSG after Marquinhos's header went wide, and the ensuing corner led to the Brazilian heading past Jaouen, further extending PSG's lead.

Our Parisians turned the match around to secure a place in the Coupe de France final! 👏🏆 #USLDPSG (2-4) | #CDF pic.twitter.com/390A7w08KP

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 1, 2025

Naatan Skytta came heartbreakingly close to responding immediately for Dunkerque, but PSG regained their attacking momentum, piling on pressure with a flurry of shots. Desire Doue had one shot blocked and sent another wide, while Ousmane Dembele's driven shot was saved. Doue's persistence eventually paid off, albeit fortuitously, as his shot took a significant deflection that wrongfooted Ewen Jaouen, who was unable to claw the ball away.

Despite the setback, Dunkerque refused to surrender, with Yacine Bammou displaying intent after his introduction. However, PSG continued to push forward, with Achraf Hakimi's shot forcing Jaouen to palm the ball behind. Jaouen then made another crucial save, denying Doue's deflected effort. Dunkerque's spirited forays forward in search of an equalizer ultimately proved futile, as PSG sealed their victory in the 94th minute.

Ousmane Dembele capitalized on a mistake, racing through and coolly slotting the ball home to secure PSG's spot in the Coupe de France final. This victory maintained PSG's unbeaten domestic record this season and inflicted Dunkerque's fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions. Despite this loss, Dunkerque's remarkable run, which included victories over three top-tier teams, is a source of pride for the Ligue 2 side.