Marseille enjoy Caen cruise in Cup

Marseille's quest for a third consecutive French League Cup title was kept firmly afloat today as Didier Deschamps' side booked their semi-final ticket with a 3-0 win at Caen. Mathieu Valbuena put the south-coast visitors into a seventh-minute lead, Caen goalkeeper Thomas Bosmel only managing to get a touch to the immaculately taken free-kick. Former Tottenham Hotspur target Loic Remy doubled the lead on 21 minutes, the Frencg striker deftly controlling Morgan Amalfitano's half-volley in the box to tap through the open goal. That was the 13th goal of the season for Marseille's leading scorer, who bagged a double in Marseille's 4-0 rout of Lens to make it into this quarter-final. Marseille remained in almost total control, with Caen, who had disposed of Auxerre in the round of 16, posing little threat to their supremacy up to the break. Seven minutes after the restart impressive Marseille drew further clear with Valbuena getting a double after being left clear following a neat nutmeg by Argentinian midfielder Lucho. Hope for Caen came in the shape of substitute Lenny Nangis, with only quick thinking by Marseille's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta denying him when he was left with an open goal on the hour mark. Emboldened, the hosts then had Marseille in a rare position, on the back foot, with Romain Hamouma's shot narrowly going the wrong side of Gennaro Bracigliano's crossbar. Caen refused to go down without a fight, with Fajcal Fajr hitting the crossbar late on, but Marseille were never going to relinquish such a handsome lead. The other French League Cup quarter-finals between Le Mans-Lorient, Nice-Dijon and Lyon-Lille will be played on Wednesday.