Rennes v PSG Live Commentary & Result, 01/02/2017, Coupe de France

And that will put the finishing touch on a miserable night for Rennes, and a return to winning ways for PSG. Their front three made the difference here, all getting on the scoresheet as the capital club booked their spot in the Coupe de France round of 16. That's it from us, thanks for tuning in!

H. Ben Arfa

Goal

AND THAT WILL ICE IT! Ben Arfa is afforded the freedom of the stadium after a quick free-kick from PSG. He takes his time to measure a strong finish over the body of the diving Costil for 4-0!

GREAT SAVE! James Lea-Siliki does excellently to leave Maxwell for dead, before hammering one for the near post that the PSG keeper had to push away. Something to do for him at last.

Ben Arfa's first touch lets him down inside the area, as he's forced wide on what would have otherwise been a tap-in. He tries to evade his marker and falls down in a heap, and the referee tells him to get to his feet.

PRODDED WIDE! Matuidi looked to have turned himself into trouble down the left, but he manages to squeeze the ball to Ben Arfa inside the area, who looked surprised at the amount of space he had. His finish ended up on the wrong side of the post.

Maxwell has been left in a lot of space in the second period, and he sweeps another cross towards the back post, but Costil cleans it up with Pastore in a prime position to pounce.

Pretty much just a formality, the last 10 minutes or so. PSG are controlling possession and finding all sorts of gaps in the opposition half. The fourth goal is there if they really want it.

Gonçalo Guedes

Lucas Moura

Substitution Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva Goncalo Manuel Ganchinho Guedes

Better from Rennes as they try to replicate PSG's move from a moment ago. The cross comes in from Cavare that catches the defence out momentarily, but Said can't stretch far enough to direct it on target.

Pedro Mendes

Yellow Card

Mendes is booked for upending Rabiot.

COULD HAVE BEEN FOUR! Rennes right flank is exposed by a run from Maxwell, who sweeps a cross to the back post for Lucas to attack, but Costil positions himself well to make an accomplished save.

B. André

C. Chantôme

The disappointing Chantome is hauled off for Benjamin Andre.

J. Léa Siliki

A. Diakhaby

Diakhaby has been withdrawn, and on comes James Siliki.

Rennes have a free-kick but the header from Mendes heads well over the bar. That about sums up their match so far - nothing has gone their way.

B. Matuidi

T. Motta

Matuidi is also on to replace Motta.

Twenty minutes to go now and I think that the Rennes fans will want the referee to blow the final whistle as soon as possible. They've been outclassed by an under-strength PSG side here.

J. Pastore

J. Draxler

No hat-trick chance for Draxler, as he's replaced by Javier Pastore.

J. Draxler

Goal

Goal Julian Draxler. DRAXLER MAKES IT THREE! Rabiot started that move with a great tackle and pass to release Ben Arfa, and the former Newcastle man wasted no time teeing up the German, who strode across the edge of the box to finish.

A. Kalulu

G. Sio

Sio's race is run as he's replaced by Aldo Kalulu. The forward started decently, but an hour of pressing with no reward has taken its toll.

OVER THE BAR! Maxwell turns the ball over about 40 yards from goal and Rennes act quickly. They get the ball to Said, who shows little composure from the top of the box, smashing over.

A mini-revival from the home side in the last few minutes. Finally, their pressing approach is bearing fruit as they've won the ball a few times in the opposition half to keep PSG under pressure.

BETTER FROM RENNES! They call Areola into action for the first time in this game, as Sio puts his left foot through the ball, but the keeper gets down well to smother and keep a hold of it, too.

Rennes have a decent chance to make something happen with a free-kick within shooting range. Prcic stands over it, but ends up sending the set-piece right into the wall. Not good enough.

You can tell that the Rennes players are starting to tire, with the space between midfield and defence getting dangerously wide. They're creating absolutely nothing at the other end too.

CLOSE TO A THIRD! PSG storm through Rennes with ease once again, and a snap-shot from Ben Arfa ends up flying wide of the far post by inches!

Rennes haven't shown much initiative in the second half given that they're chasing a two-goal deficit. At this point, it looks more likely that Paris Saint-Germain will add a third goal to kill it off.

H. Ben Arfa

Yellow Card

Alfonso Figueiredo gets upended by Hatem Ben Arfa and the PSG man is shown a yellow card.

Kimpembe stays down on the deck after an accidental incident with Adama Diakhaby. The defender looks to have done some damage to his ankle, and eventually limps off for further assessment.

Off we go again.

And that will do it for the first half, with Paris Saint-Germain well on their way to a place in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France. Well-worked goals from Draxler and Lucas have given them a comfortable 2-0 lead, and it may end up being a long way back for Rennes.

Joris Gnagon makes an important interception on a knee-height cross from Lucas. Moments later, Rennes break forward, but Said's ball from the left to the opposite side of the box kills the momentum.

Benoit Costil reads the danger well to race out of his area and clear the ball ahead of Lucas. That opening came as a result of another sweeping ball from the back that snuck in behind the back four.

Five minutes to go until half-time and Rennes have a mountain to climb. They tried to press PSG in their own half but in two occasions, their back four got sucked out of position and the visitors were able to apply the critical blow.

Lucas Moura

Goal

Goal Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva. ANOTHER ONE FOR PSG! That was too easy. Once again, they turn defence into attack in a matter of seconds. Draxler and Ben Arfa combine passes to carve apart Rennes, and the latter's low centre is tapped in by Lucas at the back post!

Rennes get their first real foray into the PSG box as Said gets the better of Maxwell for pure pace. The ball is flashed across the face of goal, and an important touch from Marquinhos takes it away from interested parties at the back post.

Dangerous times for Rennes with just over 10 minutes to go until half-time. PSG are starting to exploit the space behind their back four, and a few narrow offside calls have bailed them out.

FLASHED WIDE! Tremendous work from Ben Arfa sees him evade one player in midfield, draw another to cover, and then release Lucas in the vacated space. The Brazilian's not going to be caught, but neither is his finish as it escapes the net.

Once again, Rennes are undone by a moment of magic from Julian Draxler. Ironically, that's the type of counter-attacking goal that they would have hoped to score themselves with their approach.

J. Draxler

Goal

DRAXLER OPENS THE SCORING! That was special from the German. A long ball out of defence from Marquinhos saw him split Cavare and Pedro Mendes with his run, control it superbly, and dink a finish home.

There's a delay in the game to tend to Rabiot, who is still down on the deck after the force of that coming-together with Cavare.

D. Cavaré

Yellow Card

Harsh on Cavare there. The full-back goes in for a challenge with Rabiot and it's 50-50 contact on the ball. However, the PSG man came in with so much force that he tripped over the defender's legs. That made the referee think that the incident was worthy of a yellow.

Not a whole lot happening in terms of clear cut chances out on the pitch. Rennes are keeping a fair bit of men in the opposition half off the ball to press the opposition. Their defensive line is high.

PSG finally attack down the left-hand side, and Draxler has space to isolate Cavare. He gets into a tussle with the full-back, goes down in a heap and implores the referee to signal in his favour. No dice.

This 4-4-2 is a good shape for Rennes. Off the ball, there's eight players for PSG to get through in two lines of four, which also spreads them wide to counter the wing threat of the opponents. Said and Sio also keep the centre-backs occupied up top.

PSG are starting to shift their dominance of possession closer and closer to the Rennes final third. However, the hosts are always a threat to counter, which always gets the crowd fired up.

Throughout 62 previous meetings between these two sides in all competitions, PSG have the edge, with 29 wins to Rennes' 17.

PSG haven't really got going yet here, with Rennes quick to get two banks of four behind the ball whenever they lose possession. Lucas makes a decent run down the right which is blocked out for a corner.

The resulting free-kick is curled over the bar from 30 yards out. Wasteful.

Said pounces on a loose pass in midfield and goes charging forward and Thiago Motta, always a few steps behind that play, trips the striker. He's lucky not to get a yellow card as it was a promising counter.

Draxler has been peeling away in a lot of space on the left, but PSG haven't yet found a way to get the ball to him before his immediate opponent, Dimitri Cavare, takes notice.

PSG pass the ball inside their own half and it eventually makes its way all the way back to Alphonse Areola. The keeper gets pressured by Sio and is forced to clear out for a throw-in.

We're off!

Hatem Ben Arfa has been chosen to lead the line for PSG, with Blaise Matuidi rested in favour of Christopher Nkunku. Presnel Kimpembe also gets a start in defence alongside Marquinhos.

Rennes start Clement Chantome in a four-man midfield, partnering him with Sanjin Prcic. Top scorer Giovanni Sio is partnered by Wesley Said up front.

PSG (4-3-3): Areola; Aurier, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Maxwell; Nkunku, Motta, Rabiot; Lucas, Ben Arfa, Draxler.

Rennes (4-4-2): Costil; Cavare, Mendes, Gnagon, Figueiredo; Hunou, Prcic, Chantome, Diakhaby; Said, Sio.

PSG will want to overcome the disappointment of conceding a last-second goal to drop two points at home to title rivals Monaco last time out. The defending Coupe de France champs had won six straight before that, conceding only one goal.

Rennes were downed in the Ligue 1 replica of this fixture 1-0 a fortnight ago thanks to a Julian Draxler special. They've not won in the league since the beginning of December, a run of form which has seen them slip into mid table.

Hello and welcome to our live commentary of the Coupe de France clash between Rennes and Paris Saint-Germain. A place in the round of 16 is on the line between the Ligue 1 opponents, who square off for the second time in 2017.

Rennes v PSG Live Commentary, 01/02/2017

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