PSG Down to Nine Defeat Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup Quarterfinal
PSG eliminated Bayern Munich from the Club World Cup in a dramatic Quarterfinal. The two sides met in Atlanta for a rematch of the 2020 Champions League Final. PSG thrashed Inter Miami, and Bayern beat Flamengo to qualify for this match between two titans of Europe. In the end, PSG converted their chances to see the game out and move on to the Semifinals.
The first chance came for PSG in the third minute after Michael Olise got caught in possession. Golden Boy candidate Désiré Doué nearly made him pay, missing his shot wide. Olise bounced back to have an excellent first half as he was able to create even when going against Nuno Mendes. Sacha Boey replaced starting left-back Josip Stanišić due to injury in the 33rd minute. Moments later, Harry Kane nearly converted a header after a great cross by Kingsley Coman. PSG struggled to break down the press as neither team looked too potent in the first half. Dayot Upamecano thought he had the first goal in stoppage time when he headed in a free kick, but he was offside. Jamal Musiala was injured as he collided with Gianluigi Donnarumma to end the first half; Serge Gnabry replaced him.
PSG had a big chance slip at the start of the second half as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia played Bradley Barcola through on goal, but Manuel Neuer made a good save to keep the match scoreless. Kane later played through Koman into space, but the Frenchman couldn’t convert. In the 70th minute, Ousmane Dembélé replaced Barcola as PSG's first substitute. Neuer made a deadly mistake shortly after giving it away 30 yards away from the net. Dembélé pounced and tried to roll it in from a distance but missed just wide of the target.
Doué provided the game’s first Doué in the 78th minute, moments after getting a yellow card. After a cutback from João Neves, Doue put the ball on his left foot just beyond the penalty box and fooled Neuer. The German went to the far post only for Doué to fire the ball to the near post and into the back of the net for his first Club World Cup goal. Moments later, William Pacho was shown a direct red card for a bad challenge on Leon Goretzka. The drama ensued in stoppage time as substitute Lucas Hernández was given a direct red card for giving an elbow to Raphaël Guerreiro, forcing PSG to play with nine. Shortly later, PSG slammed the door shut as Achraf Hakimi danced around three defenders and then found Dembélé, who scored easily. Even down to nine men, PSG found a goal to seal the deal.
Bayern were then awarded a penalty, but it was overturned by VAR, and the match ended shortly after. PSG moved on to the Semifinals and will face either Real Madrid or Dortmund on Wednesday. They will be without two defenders, Hernández and Pacho, after their red cards. Doue was awarded the Superior Player of the Match. Thomas Müller replaced Coman in the second half in his final game with Bayern Munich.
