Paris Saint-Germain delivered a commanding 4–0 win over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the Round of 16 at the Club World Cup, with Joao Neves netting twice to lead the charge at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.
An own goal and a clinical finish by Achraf Hakimi secured PSG’s four-goal advantage by halftime. The French champions will now meet either Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
In a match marked by PSG’s total dominance, Inter Miami failed to register a shot for the opening 50 minutes. Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari made six saves to limit further damage, while Gianluigi Donnarumma faced minimal pressure, recording just three stops en route to his third clean sheet of the tournament.
The contest was particularly significant for Messi, who faced his former club for the first time since joining the American side two years ago. However, he struggled to spark Miami’s attack, managing just a handful of chances.
PSG set the tone early when Desire Doue earned a free kick within five minutes. Vitinha’s delivery found Neves, who timed his run perfectly and guided a header past Ustari for the opener. Miami’s woes deepened after defender Noah Allen exited with an injury in the 19th minute, and replacement Tomas Aviles received a yellow card minutes later.
Neves doubled the lead in the 39th minute following a slick buildup initiated by Fabian Ruiz, who dispossessed Sergio Busquets. Shortly after, Aviles inadvertently turned a cross into his own net, and Hakimi made it four with a composed finish after his initial shot was deflected.
Messi finally registered Miami’s first shot on target in the 63rd minute, but Donnarumma dealt with it comfortably. The Argentine forward had one more chance late in the game, forcing a diving save with a well-placed header.
“It’s the first time I’ve scored a brace, so of course I’m thrilled,” said Neves post-match. “But the win is what matters most. We’re confident and ready for the next round.”
Miami head coach Javier Mascherano acknowledged the team’s shortcomings but framed the result as a valuable lesson: “Facing PSG is always a monumental task. In the second half, we showed character. This will help us grow.”
Source: Al Jazeera
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