Chaibi sends Toulouse into final

Youngster scores late to help team beat second-tier Annecy 2-1 in French Cup

PARIS:

Fares Chaibi scored late as Toulouse beat second-tier Annecy 2-1 on Thursday to reach the French Cup final.

Chaibi, 20, came off the bench and claimed the 85th minute winner to set up a meeting with Nantes, who beat Lyon on Wednesday, on April 29 in Paris.

"It will remain as a memory in my head forever," Chaibi told broadcaster beIN Sports.

"It's what the coach expects from the replacements."

"We're happy, we're going to the Stade de France," he added.

The hosts from Ligue 2 had lost three games since their surprise quarter-final victory over Marseille on March 1 and, despite a noisy 13,500 home crowd, were on the back foot early on against Toulouse, promoted this season.

The visitors, owned by US investment firm RedBird Capital Partners, made the most of their dominance 10 minutes before the break.

Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen broke down the right and Morocco's Zakaria Aboukhlal headed home low down near the front post for his fourth goal in as many cup game this season.

Annecy's response came in the fourth minute of first half added time.

Striker Alexy Bosetti was fouled in the box by Gabriel Suazo. The well-travelled 29-year-old converted into the bottom corner from the spot.

Bosetti, who has had spells in the USA, Norway after coming through hometown club Nice's academy, was shown a yellow card for taking off his shirt celebrating the goal.

With 25 minutes left, Toulouse coach Philippe Montanier replaced Brazilian Rafael Ratao with Chaibi, in just his second season of senior football. With five minutes to go the substitute claimed his side's place in the final.

He chipped Annecy goalkeeper Thomas Callens for a third goal in the competition this season.

The home side thought they had taken the game into extra time but substitute Moise Sahi's half-volley from 30 metres was ruled out for offside with 90 seconds of the seven minutes of injury time played.

Toulouse, in mid-table in Ligue 1, held on despite Annecy's late pressure to secure their first final appearance since winning the cup in 1957.