Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a late winner as Paris Saint-Germain booked their place in the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue by beating Saint-Etienne 1-0 this evening.
Ibrahimovic came close early on for the visitors with a powerful free kick from range that was kept out by Stephane Ruffier.
On the half-hour mark it was the hosts who almost opened the scoring, as Moustafa Sall saw his header from a corner cleared off the line by Marco Verratti.
Following a goalless first half, Saint-Etienne made a bright start to the second period and Romain Hamouma curled a shot just wide of the post.
The hosts threatened again on the hour mark when Benjamin Corgnet was slipped through by Hamouma, before placing his shot inches wide.
It was PSG who came close next as Lucas Leiva was picked out by Verratti, before rounding the keeper and firing his strike into the side-netting.
In the 72nd minute the visitors finally made the breakthrough as Ibrahimovic chested in a delivery from Lucas that had crossed the line before Ruffier was able to get a touch.
The home fans responded angrily to the decision and the referee temporarily suspended the match after the official behind the goal had been pelted by missiles.
After a short delay the match got back underway, and it was PSG who came close to a second when Blaise Matuidi raced through and saw his effort blocked by the feet of Ruffier.
With five minutes of the match left to play Saint-Etienne thought that they had found an equaliser, but Ricky van Wolfswinkel saw his close-range header clawed off the line by Nicolas Douchez.
Franck Tabanou curled a free kick wide in the final minute and it proved to be the home side's last chance, as PSG moved into the last four to keep their hopes alive of winning the trophy for a second successive season.
