PSG sweep aside weakened Monaco team to reach Cup final
By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) - Holders Paris St Germain reached the French Cup final with a thumping 5-0 home win against a weakened Monaco side in a one-sided last-four clash on Wednesday.
Julian Draxler, Edinson Cavani, Blaise Matuidi, Marquinhos and a Safwan Mbae own goal kept PSG on course to win a third straight Cup title.
They will take on Angers, who beat En Avant Guingamp 2-0 on Tuesday, in the May 27 showdown at the Stade de France.
With a Champions League semi-final first leg against Juventus looming next week, Monaco started with four players making their professional debuts and only three -- Valere Germain, Andrea Raggi and Irvin Cardona -- having made regular first-team appearances.
PSG coach Unai Emery fielded his strongest team with Uruguay striker Cavani up front, supported by German midfielder Draxler and Argentine winger Di Maria.
The hosts took a deserved lead in the 26th minute when Morgan De Sanctis parried away Di Maria's shot into the path of Draxler, who tapped in.
Cavani doubled the lead five minutes later with a clever backheel from Di Maria's cross against an overwhelmed Monaco side.
Monaco never recovered and things got worse when Mbae turned a Di Maria cross into his own net before Matuidi added another two minutes later, latching onto yet another Di Maria centre.
Centre back Marquinhos wrapped it up in the last minute.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)