FC Nantes has qualified for their ninth ever Coupe de France final after beating AS Monaco in a tough match at the Stade de la Beaujoire. The game was decided in the penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw. With this victory, Nantes come back to the Coupe de France final after 22 years, being the 1999/2000 edition the last one where the Canaries played the decisive match.
The first half began with maximum effort, with both teams scoring in the first 20 minutes. Monaco opened the score thanks to a brilliant header by Guillermo Maripan at the 12th minute, but nine minutes later defender Djibril Sidibe scored an own-goal for Nantes following a great run by Randal Kolo Muani.
In the second period, both sides lowered their level and the game became nervous and badly played. However, there was time for two more goals separated by only two minutes one from the other. At 74th, Samuel Moutoussamy took advantage of a loose ball in Monaco's box and sealed the 2-1 for the locals, but 120 seconds later, Dutch substitute Myron Boadu tied it up after another header. Both teams had chances to take the lead again in the final minutes but we were destined to see a penalty shoot-out to decide who was going to face Nice in the final.
Nantes was flawless in the shoot-out having scored all four penalties when Monaco missed two in the same attempts. Star Wissam Ben Yedder and Aurelien Tchouameni were the ones who couldn't put the ball in the back of the net from the penalty mark.
Nantes will face OGC Nice in the final. Both teams haven't been national champions at any cup or league for at least 21 years (Nantes being 2000/01 Ligue 1 champions).
Both teams have won the Coupe de France three times. Nice celebrated in 1952, 1954, and 1997, while Nantes raised the cup in 1979, 1999, and 2000.
