Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) advanced to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Atlanta on Saturday, in a match marked by injuries, dismissals, and high drama.
Desire Doue broke the deadlock in the 78th minute, firing a low left-footed strike into the bottom corner after cutting inside from the right flank.
The 20-year-old, who had already played a starring role in PSG’s Champions League triumph over Inter Milan, once again proved decisive when it mattered most.
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Despite being reduced to nine men late in the contest, PSG sealed the result in stoppage time through substitute Ousmane Dembele, who found the net following Achraf Hakimi’s bursting run, ensuring the French champions will now face either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final showdown on Wednesday, July 9, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The clash took a concerning turn just before half-time when Bayern’s Jamal Musiala, making his first start of the tournament, suffered a nasty ankle injury. The 22-year-old collided with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma while attempting to chase down a misplaced pass from teammate Michael Olise. Musiala immediately grabbed his left ankle in pain, while a visibly shaken Donnarumma turned away in distress as medical staff attended to the Germany international.
Musiala’s injury is a major blow for Bayern, especially given his stellar form this season — having scored 21 goals in 43 appearances, including a hat-trick in their emphatic 10-0 opening win over Auckland City.
PSG faced intense pressure not just from Bayern’s attack but also from disciplinary challenges. Willian Pacho received a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Leon Goretzka just minutes after Doue’s opener. Lucas Hernandez followed him off in stoppage time for an elbow on Raphael Guerreiro, leaving the Parisians to finish with nine men.
England striker Harry Kane thought he had drawn Bayern level but his close-range header was chalked off for offside. VAR also intervened late in the match, overturning a penalty initially awarded to Bayern for a high foot by Nuno Mendes on Thomas Muller. After a review on the pitchside monitor, referee Anthony Taylor rescinded his decision.
Both goalkeepers were at their best in a match filled with attacking flair and end-to-end moments. Donnarumma made several crucial saves in the first half, including an excellent reaction stop to deny Michael Olise and a diving effort to keep out Aleksandar Pavlovic’s curling cross-shot.
On the opposite end, veteran Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer produced one of the saves of the tournament to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and later prevented Bradley Barcola from scoring in a one-on-one situation early in the second half. He nearly cost his team with a poor clearance that nearly allowed Dembele to score late on, but ultimately could do little about either of PSG’s goals.Dembele had already struck the bar before netting PSG’s second and celebratory goal, which followed a counter-attack in added time.
The defeat ends Bayern’s recent dominance over PSG, having beaten them in their previous four encounters, including a Champions League win in November. Doue’s goal marked PSG’s first against the German side since Kylian Mbappe’s strike in April 2021.
Thomas Muller, who came off the bench for Kingsley Coman with 10 minutes to play, appeared in his final match for Bayern. The 35-year-old departs after a legendary 17-year career with his boyhood club, leaving behind a legacy of titles and memories.
Looking AheadParis Saint-Germain now shift focus to the semi-final clash against either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund, set for July 9. The match kicks off at 20:00 WAT at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
For Bayern Munich, attention turns to domestic matters as they prepare to face Stuttgart in the German Super Cup on August 16.
