PSG fly into semis
Mauro Icardi scored a hattrick as Paris Saint-Germain demolished a depleted Saint-Etienne 6-1 on Wednesday to power into the semifinals of the French League Cup.
Icardi struck the opening goal inside two minutes at the Parc des Princes before teenage Saint-Etienne defender Wesley Fofana was dismissed for a second booking on the half-hour.
PSG ruthlessly capitalised on their man advantage as coach Thomas Tuchel elected to field all four members of his fearsome attacking quartet -- Icardi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria -- against a side decimated by injury and illness.
Neymar doubled the lead with a nonchalant chipped finish over goalkeeper Jessy Moulin, who scored a comical own goal on the stroke of half-time.
Di Maria’s low cross was hacked by Timothee Kolodziejczak into the legs of team-mate Loic Perrin, the ball rolling back off the post before hitting Moulin and trickling over the line.
The hosts bagged a fourth when Mbappe rounded Moulin and cut back for Icardi to add to his tally, and he completed his hattrick when the former raced clear before selflessly presenting the Argentine with a tap-in. The pair then reversed roles for the sixth goal.
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