Coupe de la Ligue: Caen 0 Marseille 3

Holders Marseille reached the Coupe de la Ligue semi-finals after overwhelming Caen 3-0 at the Stade Michel d’Ornano on Tuesday.

First-half goals from Mathieu Valbuena and Loic Remy put the visitors in charge, and Valbuena struck again in the second half to seal the tie, as Marseille reached the semi-final for the third time in three years.

Hosts Caen, defeated by Marseille in the league last month, were on the front foot early on.

Livio Nabab got the better of Djimi Traore inside six minutes, but the striker’s fizzing effort hit the side netting.

Despite the early Caen pressure, it was the visitors who took the lead just two minutes later.

Jeremy Morel was hauled down by Joseph Yanick Mbone, and from the resulting free kick Mathieu Valbuena curled a delightful effort into the top corner, with Caen goalkeeper Thomas Bosmel helpless.

Within 20 minutes of kick-off, the hosts were 2-0 down.

A superb defence-splitting pass from Bruno Cheyrou found Morgan Amalfitano in space.

Amalfitano produced a deft touch of the ball to deceive Bosmel, and it was left to Remy to slide the ball into an empty net.

Franck Dumas’ Caen players failed to seize opportunities to halve the deficit, with Faycal Fajr spurning a good chance after being put through by Nabab.

Romain Hamouma was then thwarted by a last-ditch tackle.

Lucho Gonzalez should have made it three before half time.

A simple ball by Valbuena found the Argentine in space, but Gonzalez directed an effort just wide of goal as the visitors ended the first period in a commanding position.

Marseille increased the tempo after the interval, with the hosts unable to respond.

First, a simple exchange between Valbuena and Amalfitano saw the latter evade the challenge of Alexandre Raineau, and Remy was unlucky not to finish off the move with a goal.

A well-worked set-piece then saw the impressive Valbuena stroke a low effort past Bosmel and effectively seal the tie seven minutes after the break.

Neither side could add to the scoresheet throughout the rest of the second half, though Caen did strike the post through Fajr.

Marseille’s comfortable victory sees them progress to the semi-finals, which are due to take place on either January 31 or February 1.