Monaco given scare by Valenciennes
PARIS, France (Reuters) -- French championship leaders Monaco needed a penalty shoot-out to avoid a shock defeat at Third Division Valenciennes in the second round of the French Cup on Sunday.
Unable to score during 120 minutes of play, the Champions League side finally overcame their defiant opponents from the spot 4-1.
The five times winners of the French Cup had a huge fright when Orlando Silvestri appeared to have scored in the 82nd minute, but it was ruled out for handball.
Toulouse were also forced to go to penalties before winning their goal-less encounter against top flight rivals Nice 5-4.
Stade Rennes dispatched fourth-division and amateur side Croix Savoie 2-0, Alexander Frei scoring their second goal two minutes into the second half.
The 16-match round was played over three days and the main surprise came on Friday as amateur club Bayonne, who had already shocked Ligue 1 team En Avant Guingamp 5-3 on penalties in the first round, beat Girondins Bordeaux 1-0 after extra time.
RC Lens, who have lost six regulars to the African Nations Cup, were the only other top-flight team ousted by a lower division side. They lost 2-1 to Third Division Dijon on Saturday.
A classic tie between Olympique Marseille and Paris St Germain, though, topped the bill.
PSG won 2-1 at the Stade Velodrome thanks to an extra-time header from Argentine Juan Pablo Sorin. The goal, scored in the 112th minute, gave the Parisians their fifth consecutive victory over their arch-rivals.
Cup holders AJ Auxerre and Ligue reigning champions Olympique Lyon eased through to the last 16. Auxerre beat fellow Ligue 1 side Montpellier 2-0 while Lyon thrashed third division Bourg-Peronnas 5-0 away.
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