⚽️ ⚽️ 0 RB Leipzig - Paris Saint-Germain 3 ⚽️ ⚽️
0 RB Leipzig - Paris Saint-Germain 3
However, the team has not quite been able to come up with similar accolades within the European continent. Championships and huge successes have largely eluded them during this same time span whenever they have had to go up against other truly elite clubs in Europe.
That might be changing, though. In this year's UEFA Champions League tournament, PSG has been enjoying an incredible run. They found their way to a semifinal showdown yesterday against RB Leipzig, and managed to dominate the game in order to clinch a spot in the Champions League Final for the first time in franchise history. And they did it convincingly.
Less than six minutes into the game, Neymar - one of the big name talents on the team - just missed scoring the game's first goal, hitting the crossbar after a great pass from PSG superstar Kylian Mbappé . It may have been a missed opportunity, but PSG would create plenty more throughout the duration of the game.
Marquinhos took a free header delivered by a spot on pass by Ángel Di María to score the game's first goal in the 13th minute, giving PSG the early 1-0 lead. The Leipzig defense just seemed unprepared to stop it.
Just minutes later, PSG almost took advantage of another mistake by Leipzig, when they turned the ball over very near their own goal. Mbappé took a shot that, like Neymar's earlier shot, just missed the mark. It was clear, however, that PSG was dictating the tempo of the game early on.
Not much later, however, Leipzig almost took advantage of a golden opportunity. Yussuf Poulsen just missed a great shot on goal. This opportunity was largely due to the persistence of Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer, who remained persistent when an opportunity seemed almost to be lost, and delivered a quite brilliant pass to Poulsen under very difficult circumstances.
PSG had missed on a few opportunities earlier in the game, but in the 42nd minute, Leipzig again made a huge mistake with a turnover too close to their own goal. PSG made them pay dearly this time, as Ángel Di María broke through and beat Leipzig keeper Péter Gulácsi. Once again, it was an almost clinical pass by Neymar that allowed this great opportunity to happen in the first place, and Di María made it count. This goal gave PSG a decisive 2-0 lead by halftime.
Yet, it might have been even more, as another incredible pass by Mbappé to Neymar almost netted another PSG goal in the 44th minute. Still, the 2-0 lead gave PSG some breathing room.
Fairly early in the second half, PSG capitalized on yet another clumsy unforced error by Leipzig. This allowed Juan Bernat Velasco to score the header for PSG in the 56th minute, giving them a very commanding 3-0 lead.
After that, PSG largely sat on their lead. They played tough defense, effectively choking what little life Leipzg still had, and preserving the three goal lead for the win.
As a result of the win, PSG has qualified for the Champions League Final for the first time ever. It remains to be seen who they will be playing in the actual final. Their opponent will be determined later today in the other semifinal, as fellow French club Lyon FC goes up against Bayern-Munich.
Yet, it might have been even more, as another incredible pass by Mbappé to Neymar almost netted another PSG goal in the 44th minute. Still, the 2-0 lead gave PSG some breathing room.
Fairly early in the second half, PSG capitalized on yet another clumsy unforced error by Leipzig. This allowed Juan Bernat Velasco to score the header for PSG in the 56th minute, giving them a very commanding 3-0 lead.
After that, PSG largely sat on their lead. They played tough defense, effectively choking what little life Leipzg still had, and preserving the three goal lead for the win.
As a result of the win, PSG has qualified for the Champions League Final for the first time ever. It remains to be seen who they will be playing in the actual final. Their opponent will be determined later today in the other semifinal, as fellow French club Lyon FC goes up against Bayern-Munich.
I'm very happy that PSG won its semifinal, and slightly bummed out (though not exactly surprised) that Lyon won't be joining them in the final. L'Olympique Lyonnais lost to Bayern Munich, 3-0. They actually dominated most of the first 15 or so minutes and created a number of potentially dangerous scoring chances, but weren't able to capitalize on any of them. Then Bayern responded by opening up the scoring against the run of play with a Serge Gnabry goal in the 18th minute. They dominated the rest of the half, with Gnabry doubling his tally and Bayern's lead in the 33rd minute. Lyon showed some signs of life in the second half, nearly reducing Bayern's lead at some points, without ever quite managing to find the back of the net. Robert Lewandowski scored the proverbial "nail in the coffin" goal in the 88th minute. Lyon had an amazing run, even if it obviously ended on an anticlimactic note for them, which is compounded by the fact that they won't be taking part in either of the two European Cups next season. (Due to their uncharacteristically low 7th place finish in Ligue 1, they would have had to not only beat Bayern but then beat PSG in the final in order to avoid that.)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the focus now is on the final in four days, where PSG will hopefully reach the pinnacle of European soccer! My prediction is that they'll do just that by virtue of a 2-1 final score. Stay tuned...