Lille survive scare to reach French Cup last 16

Holders Lille required an extra-time header from substitute Gianni Bruno to overcome valiant fourth-tier side Compiegne 1-0 in the French Cup on Saturday and take their place in the last 16. Penalties were beckoning at Stade Pierre-Brisson in Beauvais when Florent Balmont swung a cross into the box from the right flank in the 114th minute and 20-year-old Bruno stole ahead of his marker to score with a powerful downward header. The French champions, who fielded a strong side, had dominated the extra period but were unconvincing for much of the match and saw Hubert Aulon hit the crossbar for Compiegne with a 25-yard effort during the second half. "To go far in the French Cup, you also need to know how to squeeze through in certain matches," said Lille coach Rudi Garcia. "The door wasn't wide tonight but we managed to pass through it all the same." Bordeaux had a similarly narrow escape, with goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso saving two spotkicks as they beat Creteil 4-3 on penalties after the National (third division) outfit had twice equalised to force a 2-2 draw. Ajaccio and Auxerre were not so fortunate, as they became the eighth and ninth Ligue 1 clubs to exit this season's tournament. Laurent Fournier's Auxerre lost 2-1 at home to Chateauroux of Ligue 2, while the Corsicans fell 3-2 to fourth-tier Bourg-Peronnas. Despite being bottom of the French elite, Ajaccio had won their four previous games in all competitions, but they lost to a goal from Julio Tavares after Mehdi Mostefa's 94th-minute equaliser for Ajaccio had taken the game to extra time. Fourth-division Quevilly, who memorably reached the semi-finals in 2010, stayed on course for another fairytale run to the latter stages by beating Ligue 2 Angers 1-0. Meanwhile, on-loan Chelsea attacking midfielder Gael Kakuta scored a 32nd-minute equaliser as Dijon came from behind to beat Istres 2-1. Nice meet Rennes in the only all-Ligue 1 tie of the round later on Saturday. Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain booked their place in the last 16 with a 4-0 victory at fifth-tier Sable-sur-Sarthe on Friday. PSG had needed an injury-time goal from Diego Lugano to see off fifth-division side Saint-Colomban Locmine in the previous round, but a brace each from Nene and Kevin Gameiro gave them a more comfortable margin of victory at the MMArena in Le Mans. "I'll keep working. When I get the chance to play, I try to score," said Gameiro, whose place in the side is under threat due to PSG's public pursuit of Manchester City's Carlos Tevez. "The coach (Carlo Ancelotti) is counting on me and even if other strikers arrive, I still have some aces up my sleeve." Their win came at a cost, though, as Argentinian playmaker Javier Pastore went off in the first half with a torn thigh muscle and a club source said on Saturday that he would be out for up to a month.