Zlatan hat-trick fires PSG into French Cup final

Paris A Zlatan Ibrahimovic hattrick fired Paris SaintGermain to a 41 French Cup semifinal victory over SaintEtienne at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday as their epic quest for a fourtrophy sweep continued apaceParis SaintGermains Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Cup semifinal football match Paris SaintGermain PSG vs SaintEtienne ASSE in Paris PicAFPIbrahimovics opener from the penalty spot on the 21st minute was his 100th goal for the club he then rounded the keeper on 81 for the second and completed his hattrick with a fine run and shot in injurytimeBut an injurydepleted Paris had to fight for long periods of this gutsy Cup tie as SaintEtienne drew level with a Romain Hamouma header going in 11 at halftime before an Ezequiel Lavezzi header put PSG back ahead on 60SaintEtienne coach Christophe Galtier praised Swede Ibrahimovic as the greatest foreigner to have played in France as he lamented his sides inability to match PSGs pounding artillery PSG have scored 11 times against SaintEtienne in four matches this season of which eight have come off Ibrahimovics boot war machine Theres nothing to say at this level they are unbeatable in any case for us said GaltierThey had the perfect match in intensity technical plan determination Its never good to take on this type of team so near the final Im disappointed for my players that they werent able to go all the way in this adventure But thats all there was too big a difference They are a war machine They were superior on all levels PSG now face second division Auxerre who beat holders Guingamp 10 on Tuesday in the Cup final at the Stade de France on May 30Paris also take on Bastia in the League Cup final at the same venue on Saturday face Barcelona in Paris in the Champions League quarterfinals firstleg next Wednesday and they lead Ligue 1 by a single point from Lyon No French club has ever clinched the domestic treble As long as were in the running on four fronts were thinking about this quadruple but nothing is won yet said PSG coach Laurent BlancThey arent machines You get used to the players scoring two or three goals per match They also have the right to be a little tired Zlatan was tired against Marseille last weekend They are an exceptional group of players and Zlatan is one of them Im proud to coach these boys Ive a fantastic group with an enormous capacity to workWith defender David Luiz midfielder Thiago Motta and forwards Edinson Cavani and Lucas all ruled out through injury coach Laurent Blanc also rested Blaise Matuidi with a packed calendar of matches coming PSGs way The giant Swede converted his spotkick with aplomb after Lavezzi had been tugged from behind and the referee awarded a generous penaltyBut SaintEtienne stormed back at the Parisians and were level four minutes later when Hamoumas glancing header from a freekick curled beyond keeper Nicolas Douchez at the near post Mevlut Erding should then have given the visitors the lead after 32 minutes but he hesitated when through on Douchez who deflected his tardy shot to safety Lavezzi then ran onto a sumptuous cross from Pastore just after the hour and rose alone on the edge of the sixyard box his looping header leaving Stephane Ruffier rooted to the spot as the ball crept just inside his far post102nd goalIbrahimovic then calmed home nerves running onto a through ball to round the keeper and slot home into an empty net to send the stadium wild His third goal was equally extravagant as his trademark dribble found him a glimmer of space to shoot home his 102nd goal for the club Ibrahimovic becomes PSGs second top alltime scorer seven shy of Pauletas 109 goalsSaintEtienne keeper Stephane Ruffier kept his side in contention early in the first half as Paris came out all guns blazing saving twice from Lavezzi and stopping a fierce Javier Pastore shot as a series of goal efforts zipped wide On Tuesday second division Auxerre turned back the clock on past glories as they beat holders Guingamp 10 Relegated in 2012 Auxerre won a league and cup double under legendary coach Guy Roux in 1996 while also lifting the Cup in 1994 2003 and 2005