Picture: OM.net
PSG - OM (3-0): Cup run ends here
OM exited the Coupe de France at the quarter-final stage after a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.
Just three days on from a 3-0 reverse at the same ground against the same opposition, Rudi Garcia rang the changes for the cup competition. Clinton Njie, Maxime Lopez and Aymen Abdennour all started the fixture.
And while both teams began the game in sluggish fashion, OM were largely solid in the first 45 minutes. Steve Mandanda - back in his first game after injury - produced two world class saves to deny the hosts.
OM sought to attack on the counter, and the best chance of the first half came this way - though Thauvin was unable to hit the target following his trademark cut-in-and-shoot move.
Right on half-time, the hosts got their breakthrough as Angel di Maria fired past Mandanda after OM lost the ball. it was a negative way to end an otherwise reasonable first half.
Di Maria made it two just after the re-start, pouncing on the ball after Abdennour missed his clearance. Mandanda kept the arrears to two goals with a continued string of important saves, but OM were eventually consigned to defeat.
After two games in the capital, football returns to the Orange Velodrome as OM take on Nantes on Sunday. While the French Cup is over for another year, the race for the podium heats up.