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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Much-changed PSG see off Pau to book quarter-final spot

Soccer Football - Coupe de France - Round of 16 - Pau v Paris St Germain - Stade du Hameau, Pau, France - January 29, 2020 Paris St Germain's Leandro Paredes celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain progressed to the French Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable 2-0 win at third tier Pau on Wednesday.

Goals from Leandro Paredes and Pablo Sarabia either side of halftime were enough to earn the champions victory over their hosts, who caused a big upset in the previous round by knocking out top-flight Bordeaux.

PSG lifted four consecutive French Cup titles before finishing runners-up last year, and have won the competition more than any other side with 12 triumphs.

Soccer Football - Coupe de France - Round of 16 - Pau v Paris St Germain - Stade du Hameau, Pau, France - January 29, 2020 Paris St Germain's Pablo Sarabia in action REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Thomas Tuchel made 10 changes to the side that beat Lille 2-0 on Sunday in the league, leaving Neymar out of the squad and dropping Angel Di Maria and Kylian Mbappe to the bench.

Mauro Icardi led the line and had a hand in both goals, chesting into Paredes’ path for the Argentine’s volley before cutting back a cross that was diverted towards Sarabia for a close-range finish.

There was a huge shock as fourth-tier SAS Epinal defeated Ligue 1 side Lille, recovering from an early Loic Remy strike to win 2-1 thanks to a second-half brace from Jean-Philippe Krasso.

Soccer Football - Coupe de France - Round of 16 - Pau v Paris St Germain - Stade du Hameau, Pau, France - January 29, 2020 Paris St Germain's Pablo Sarabia in action with Pau's Moustapha Name REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Christophe Galtier's side are currently seventh in the top division of French football, fighting for European qualification, while their conquerors are seventh in Group A of National 2.

(Reporting by Alasdair Mackenzie, editing by Ed Osmond)

Soccer Football - Coupe de France - Round of 16 - Pau v Paris St Germain - Stade du Hameau, Pau, France - January 29, 2020 Paris St Germain's Julian Draxler and Pau's Benjamin Bertrand REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Soccer Football - Coupe de France - Round of 16 - Pau v Paris St Germain - Stade du Hameau, Pau, France - January 29, 2020 Paris St Germain's Pablo Sarabia in action REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Soccer Football - Coupe de France - Round of 16 - Pau v Paris St Germain - Stade du Hameau, Pau, France - January 29, 2020 Paris St Germain's Colin Dagba in action with Pau's Romain Baynard REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
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