It took cool heads, a keeper on fire and two spot-kicks to pry the door open. Long frustrated by Reims, RC Strasbourg finally forced the issue at the Meinau. 2-1. Semi-finals. First time since 2001.
Strasbourg pressed. Strasbourg panicked. Strasbourg eventually hit back.
Dominance without reward, Yassine unplayable
From the first whistle the Racing took charge. Seventy percent possession, wave after wave at Reims’ goal, and Gessime Yassine buzzing down the right. He battered the flank — runs, tight-angle shots, whipped crosses. He did everything.
Sebastian Nanasi thought he’d nodded them in, Panichelli tested Olliero, Doué rattled the post. Nothing would go in.
Even a penalty Yassine thought he won ended up as a booking for simulation after VAR. A one-way first half. And still 0-0.
Penders keeps them alive, then Strasbourg strikes
Then the turning point.
On 67 minutes, on a Reims counter, Sekine lets fly. Penders with a huge right-hand save. The sort that flips a match. The Racing had just dodged a bullet.
The reply came late. Patrick handles in the box. Penalty. Joaquín Panichelli keeps his nerve. 1-0.
Minutes later Olliero brings down Fofana through the middle. Second spot-kick. Julian Enciso buries it. 2-0. The Meinau erupts.
Zabi pulled one back in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late.
Back in the last four for the first time since 2001
The Racing are back in the French Cup semi-finals — a stage they haven’t reached in a quarter of a century. It wasn’t pretty all night. It got tense. But it was solid enough.
Strasbourg dominated without scoring, then they weathered pressure without cracking.
And in cup football, that awkward combo often wins the day.
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