Paris Saint-Germain Humble Bayern Munich 2-0 to Rump into FIFA World Cup Semi Finals
Paris Saint-Germain secured a place in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup after a dramatic 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday night, despite finishing the match with just nine men.
In a pulsating encounter at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, goals from 20-year-old Desire Doue and substitute Ousmane Dembele proved decisive as the European champions overcame German giants Bayern in front of nearly 67,000 spectators.
The French treble winners battled through adversity, losing both Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez to red cards in the closing stages, but held firm to claim a memorable win against a familiar foe.
Bayern had beaten PSG in their last four meetings, including a 1-0 win in last November’s Champions League group stage.
Before kickoff, an emotional minute of silence was observed in honour of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who tragically died in a car accident on Thursday. The tribute hit close to home for PSG, whose squad features five Portuguese players.
The match started with high intensity, reflecting the attacking philosophies of both sides. Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola were lively for PSG, while Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman threatened on Bayern’s wings.
Bayern suffered a major blow just before halftime when star playmaker Jamal Musiala sustained a horrific ankle injury after colliding with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The visibly shaken Italian shot-stopper received support from teammates as Musiala was stretchered off in agony.
Despite Bayern’s pressure, a first-half header from Dayot Upamecano was ruled out for offside, while England captain Harry Kane narrowly missed with a headed effort before the break.
Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer kept Bayern in the game with a stunning save to deny Barcola early in the second half. Luis Enrique turned to Dembele with 20 minutes to play, hoping to avoid extra time, and the former Barcelona winger immediately added thrust to the attack.
After Kane’s loose pass gifted PSG possession, Doue capitalized in the 77th minute, unleashing a low strike that beat Neuer at the near post to break the deadlock.
The match exploded into chaos in the final 10 minutes. Defender Willian Pacho was shown a straight red for a high challenge on Leon Goretzka in the 83rd minute. Minutes later, Kane found the net but was again denied by an offside flag. Hernandez compounded PSG’s woes when he was dismissed for elbowing an opponent.
Bayern pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but PSG struck again in added time. Dembele, who had earlier come close following a Neuer error, sealed the win with a composed finish after a dazzling run by Achraf Hakimi. The 28-year-old celebrated with a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota, mimicking the Portuguese player’s signature gaming gesture.
The win propels PSG into the semi-finals of FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup, where they will face either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
It was a statement performance from Luis Enrique’s men, who showed resilience, emotion, and quality under immense pressure. For Bayern, the loss marks a bitter end to their campaign — worsened by Musiala’s potentially long-term injury.
As the dust settles on a modern classic, PSG march on, two wins away from adding another historic trophy to their cabinet.
