Marseille avoid Cup embarrassment after penalty shoot-out

Limoges (France) (AFP) – Andre Villas-Boas’ Marseille needed penalties to win away to fourth-tier Trelissac in the last 64 of the French Cup on Sunday.

Lassana Diakhaby and Ange Gnaleko missed the crucial spot kicks for the minnows as the 10-time former winners avoided a second straight cup exit to a side from National 2.

Abdoulaye Diaby scored for the hosts after 20 seconds following a goalkeeping howler by Yohann Pele and France midfielder Dimitri Payet equalised after 20 minutes for the visitors who had Japan right-back Hiroki Sakai sent off in the closing stages of normal time.

“In your worst dreams you don’t need to suffer in that way,” Villas-Boas said.

“If we had been knocked-out without Sakai and with a humiliation like that, it would have been tough to take,” he added.

Pele made up for his early mistake by saving Diakhaby and Gnaleko’s efforts before Lucas Perrin slotted the winning penalty.

Marseille were knocked out of the competition by Anrezieux at the same stage last season.