Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) delivered a commanding performance against Inter Miami, winning 4-0 in the last 16 of the Club World Cup. This match was an all-time great moment. Lionel Messi squared off against his former club for the first time since leaving PSG for the United States two seasons ago.
The match happened under an intense atmosphere, lucky enough to see both teams with a chance to progress to the quarter-finals. PSG’s Joao Neves emerged as the star of the match, scoring twice and cementing his team’s dominance. Achraf Hakimi’s late goal secured the victory and took the coolness factor up another notch. After a skillful poach of a rebound, he was on the scoresheet.
Unfortunately for Inter Miami, it was difficult for them to shake off that rust. For the first 50 minutes of the match, they didn’t even record one shot on goal. Then in the 63rd minute, Messi broke through to finally get Miami on the board with their first shot on target. PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had little trouble collecting his attempt. In the first half, Messi fought tooth and nail to make plays and goal opportunities. In the 51st minute, he fired a dangerous left-footed shot that got deflected over the goal.
Despite facing a formidable opponent, Messi showed glimpses of his skill, including a header that required a diving save from Donnarumma with just ten minutes remaining. What Miami continued to fight against were the existential crises. Luis Suarez, then, has a near-miss when he fails to connect with a teasing cross from Lionel Messi.
It provided plenty of lessons learned, according to Miami’s coach Javier Mascherano, who said the match was a great opportunity to learn. He acknowledged PSG’s prowess, stating, “We knew today was going to be very, very difficult. They [PSG] are probably the best team in the world.”
“In the second half, we tried to play and show our worth,” indicating that his players were determined to improve despite the challenging circumstances.
Joao Neves celebrated his two goals, remarking, “It is the first time I have scored two [goals] in one game, so I am very happy. I am happier for the win.” His efforts were invaluable in securing PSG’s progression to the quarter-final stage of the competition.
Thanks to this emphatic win, Paris Saint-Germain will face either Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarter-finals. Gianluigi Donnarumma was otherwise not too busy in goal, needing to make just three saves thanks to a lack of offense by Miami. Inter Miami’s Oscar Ustari was kept on his toes throughout the game. He recorded six stunning saves in a valiant effort to keep PSG’s much-stronger attack at bay.
