Ligue 2 Sedan reached the Coupe de France semi-finals, beating Bordeaux 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw. They were joined by top-flight strugglers PSG, who narrowly beat fifth division side Carquefou 1-0.

PSG were joined in the last four by Ligue 2 side Sedan, who ousted Ligue 1 title contenders Girondins Bordeaux 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw.

Sedan goalkeeper Patrick Regnault made the difference in the shootout, saving from Fernando Cavenaghi and Franck Jurieti.

Pauleta headed in a Sylvain Armand centre with 13 minutes left to finally sink fifth division Carquefou, a small western town near Nantes.

It was the Portuguese veteran's 28th goal in 23 Coupe matches.

Playing at the La Beaujoire Stadium in Nantes in front of a sellout 40,000 crowd, the amateurs gave their Ligue 1 opponents a scare as they threatened a repeat of their earlier giant-killing victory over Marseille.

Carquefou went close to an equaliser four minutes from time when PSG goalkeeper Jerome Alonzo had to parry a header from defender Pierre Mauget and a close-range shot from striker Idrissa N'doye.

"We are sorry to be out," Carquefou coach Denis Renaud told the FR3 television channel. "We had two opportunities, they only had one."

Pauleta said: "Cup games against teams like Carquefou are always difficult to play and to win. We must now concentrate on our next Ligue 1 game at Caen on Saturday."

Relegation-threatened PSG are third from bottom in the league.

On Tuesday, Ligue 1 leaders Lyon stayed on course for their first domestic double with a 1-0 win over Metz while Amiens defeated Ligue 2 rivals Dijon 1-0.

The draw for the semi-finals will be staged on Thursday.

Reuters