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Key Points

Paris Saint-Germain delivered a crushing 4-0 victory against Inter Miami in the FIFA Club World Cup. João Neves emerged as the standout performer, scoring two crucial goals in the first half. Lionel Messi had a forgettable night against his former team, unable to influence the match. The comprehensive win sets PSG up for an exciting quarter-final clash against either Bayern Munich or Flamengo.

Key Points: Messi's PSG Crush Inter Miami 4-0 in FIFA Club World Cup

  • PSG's João Neves scores twice in dominant first-half performance
  • Lionel Messi fails to make impact against former club
  • Doué and Hakimi complete comprehensive victory
  • PSG advances to quarter-finals with confident display
2 min read

FIFA Club World Cup: Ruthless PSG breeze past Inter Miami

PSG dominates Inter Miami with clinical 4-0 victory, Messi struggles against former team in Atlanta showdown

"Four goals, complete control - Luis Enrique, PSG Head Coach"

Atlanta, June 29

Lionel Messi's reunion with his former club did not go as plan as Paris Saint-Germain delivered a dominant performance to defeat Inter Miami CF 4-0 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, securing qualification for the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

Following their 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC, PSG entered the Round of 16 with confidence and a clear objective to advance further in the tournament. Head coach Luis Enrique named a strong starting XI, with Marquinhos and Willian Pacho in central defence ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, supported by full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. The midfield trio comprised Vitinha, João Neves, and Fabián Ruiz, while Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia operated on the wings, flanking forward Désiré Doué.

PSG set the tone early, with João Neves heading in a Vitinha cross to open the scoring in the 6th minute. The French side continued to control possession and create opportunities throughout the first half. Despite multiple saves from Inter Miami's goalkeeper Óscar Ustari, PSG doubled their lead in the 39th minute through Neves again, finishing calmly after a well-worked move initiated by Barcola and Ruiz.

Just before halftime, PSG extended their lead to 3-0 when Doué's cross was deflected into the net by Inter defender Tomás Avilés. The scoring was completed in stoppage time when Hakimi followed up on his initial effort to slot home PSG's fourth goal after a Barcola assist.

Despite numerous second-half chances, including efforts from Doué, Barcola, and Kvaratskhelia, PSG were unable to add to their tally. Inter Miami's Lionel Messi had two efforts on goal but failed to make an impact against his former club. Ousmane Dembélé made his return from injury in the second half, replacing João Neves, who was later named Man of the Match.

PSG will face the winner of FC Bayern Munich vs Flamengo in the quarter-finals.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Poor Messi 😢 Wanted to see him shine against his old team. But honestly, Inter Miami's defense was like our local train during rush hour - completely overrun! PSG's young players were brilliant though.
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Arjun K
As an Indian football fan, I'm tired of seeing only European clubs dominate. When will we have our own team competing at this level? AIFF needs to step up their game big time!
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Sarah B
That João Neves performance was world class! At just 19 years old, he's showing more maturity than most Indian players in their late 20s. Our youth development programs need complete overhaul.
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Kavya N
The match timing was 2:30 AM IST 😴 Why can't FIFA schedule these games at better times for Asian audiences? We're a huge football market too!
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Vikram M
Respectfully, the article focuses too much on PSG's dominance. Would have liked more analysis on why Inter Miami failed - their tactics were all wrong from the start. Even our I-League coaches would've set up better!

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