Toulouse advanced to the semi-finals of the Coupe de France after defeating Marseille 4–3 on penalties on Wednesday night at the Stade Vélodrome, following a dramatic 2–2 draw in regular time.
Marseille made a lightning start to the match, taking the lead just two minutes in when England forward Mason Greenwood converted a penalty.
Toulouse responded quickly, leveling the score in the 13th minute through Yanis Gboho.
The hosts regained the advantage in the second half when Brazilian winger Igor Paixão scored in the 56th minute, but Toulouse struck back again only four minutes later.
English defender Charlie Cresswell headed home in the 60th minute to make it 2–2 and force the match toward penalties.
In the shootout, Toulouse held their nerve to secure a 4–3 victory. Although Venezuelan midfielder Cristian Cásseres Jr. missed the visitors’ fourth attempt, Marseille failed to capitalize as their captain Leonardo Balerdi and youngster Ethan Nwaneri both missed their penalties.
The elimination represents another setback for Marseille, who had viewed the Coupe de France as a key opportunity to salvage their season.
The club had already failed to reach the UEFA Champions League qualifying playoffs, a disappointment that led to the dismissal of Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi and the appointment of Senegalese manager Habib Beye.
Marseille’s struggles in the competition also continued, as the club has not progressed beyond the quarter-finals since the 2015–16 season and has not lifted the trophy since 1989.
The final whistle was met with anger from the home supporters, as boos echoed around the stadium and some flares were thrown from the northern stand onto the pitch.
Elsewhere in the quarter-finals, Nice secured their place in the semi-finals after edging Lorient 6–5 on penalties following a goalless draw in regulation time. Lorient played the second half with ten men after striker Pablo Pagis was sent off in the 44th minute.
Strasbourg also advanced with a 2–1 victory over second-division side Reims, becoming the first team to book a place in the last four.
The quarter-final stage will conclude on Thursday with Lyon facing Lens. The semi-final matches are scheduled for April 22, while the final will be played on May 22 or 23.
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