Lyon reaches French Cup quarterfinals

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PARIS -- Valenciennes knocked defending champion Lille out of the French Cup on Wednesday, winning 2-1 in the last-16 match after goals from Mathieu Dossevi and Vincent Aboubakar.

Dossevi flicked home a free kick from Dusan Djuric in the 71st minute, and Aboubakar doubled the lead seven minutes later with a powerful strike that hit the crossbar and bounced over the line.

Lille striker Nolan Roux pulled one back with a header in the 88th.

Valenciennes defender Rafael cleared a lob off the line from Lille fullback Franck Beria in stoppage time to salvage the win.

"We had to defend well and we did it," Valenciennes coach Daniel Sanchez said. "Of course, we were dominated but tactically we played like we had decided to play. And the result shows that we were right."

Lille coach Rudi Garcia dwelled on the chances missed by his team.

"We lacked the finishing touch," Garcia said. "We woke up only when we were led 1-0. Until Valenciennes' goal, we did not show much commitment in the final third."

Meanwhile, Lyon is still involved in four competitions after beating Bordeaux 3-1 in extra time to reach the French Cup quarterfinals.

France forward Bafetimbi Gomis scored from close range in the 96th, before Lyon teammate and substitute Jimmy Briand converted a cross from Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez in the 118th.

Bordeaux led 1-0 when winger Yoan Gouffran played Jussie in, and the Brazilian striker shot past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 23rd.

Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette levelled in the 36th, following up to score after goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso had parried Ederson's header.

Carrasso denied Lacazette in the 59th and the 79th and Lopez in the 88th, but the Bordeaux goalkeeper could not prevent the hosts from finding the net in extra time.

"Our team showed again character and desire," Lyon coach Remi Garde said. "It's difficult to beat us right now because our mindset is good."

Lyon has a shot at the French league title, is in the last 16 of the Champions League and meets Marseille in the League Cup final.

Montpellier and third-division club Gazelec Ajaccio also advanced.

Montpellier defeated second-division club Chatearoux 2-0 with goals from Olivier Giroud, the top scorer in the French league, in the 37th and Morocco playmaker Younes Belhanda in the 88th.

Gazelec Ajaccio downed fourth-division club Drancy 2-0 with goals from Nicolas Verdier in the 32nd and Mickael Colloredo in the 45th.

Rennes edged out Evian 3-2 on Tuesday.

Three French Cup matches were rescheduled because of frozen pitches following a cold snap.

The French Football Federation postponed Paris Saint-Germain's match at Dijon on Tuesday and Marseille's game against Bourg-Peronnas on Wednesday to Feb. 15. It also called off the match between Quevilly and Orleans on Tuesday, setting Feb. 21 as the new date.

The cold snap led to the postponement of three French league matches last weekend.