Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Bayern Munich: Nine-men PSG reach quarter-finals after crazy ending | OneFootball

At the end of a thrilling encounter, it was Paris Saint-Germain who defeated Bayern Munich to qualify for the semi-finals of the Club World Cup thanks to late goals from Desiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

While the first half wouldn’t see any goals, Dayot Upamecano was denied by the linesman’s flag after heading into the bottom corner following a free kick. The half was then marred by a late, serious injury to Jamal Musiala.

In the second half, the game exploded into life. PSG took the lead, but were then reduced to not 10, but nine men after red cards were awarded to Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernández. Bayern would have another goal ruled out after Harry Kane was deemed offside for a headed goal of his own.

Dembélé then made it two to wrap up the victory in perhaps the best game of the tournament – and there was even time for late penalty drama.

As it happened

This was the match in which the FIFA Club World Cup finally lived up to its lavish billing. The tournament was marketed as the best of the best and this, the third quarter-final, played between the champions of France (and the European continent, for that matter) and the champions of Germany epitomised it. It was a heavyweight clash between two fighters in their primes, oozing quality and having created more drama than you could shake a stick at.

And yet, the goals hardly came thick and fast. PSG fashioned a very early chance, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia robbing Michael Olise of possession in the final third before setting Doué up for a shot he’d ultimately fire wide. That was the first opening, and they wouldn’t slow down.

But every time, there was something in the way, be it slightly wayward crosses (Konrad Laimer in particular was guilty of sending deliveries either too high and too deep), offside flags – Dayot Upamecano headed home from a free kick, but was denied by a remarkably disciplined defensive line from PSG – or imperious goalkeepers.

There are few better between the sticks than Gianluigi Donnarumma and the elder statesman that is Manuel Neuer, and they proved that today. The Italian was called into action first, denying two Olise strikes: one tame, one ferocious. Later, he had to react remarkably quickly after Aleksandar Pavlović’s cross nearly bent into the far corner.

Not to be outdone, Neuer was called into action in the second half to deny Doué of a golden opportunity. The Frenchman had darted down the middle, picked out by an eye-of-the-needle pass courtesy of Kvaratskhelia, and opened his body to bend a shot in the far corner, but the keeper reacted in a flash to push it wide. Later, in typical fashion, he raced out of his box to slide tackle Bradley Barcola.

By the 77th minute, there had still been no goals. When shots weren’t being saved, they were fired over or wide: Fabián Ruiz leant back when bending a shot towards the top corner, sending it high and wide; Kane headed a tremendous Olise cross over the bar; Olise himself fired over from close quarters.

How a goal hadn’t gone in was a mystery. These weren’t two giants sparring as the blank scoreline may have suggested, rather they were taking hit after hit and persisting regardless.

But more than that, this was a game constantly stretched. Both sides’ attacking prowess meant it was almost impossible to maintain much of a defensive shape. It was counter after counter, attack after attack, save after save. Total football epitomised by a last-ditch tackle from Kane on the edge of his own box.

It was a game only marred by a horror injury to Musiala after a coming together with Donnarumma on the stroke of halftime, one which caused real distress to players on both sides.

Then came the big chances. Neuer, who had excelled so much to this point, situated outside his area, passed the ball straight to Kvaratskhelia. He proceeded to slide the ball back (his second such intervention), before the ball fell to Dembélé, only just introduced, who trickled a shot wide of the open goal.

That was the warning shot, and on 78 minutes, Bayern were punished. This time it was Kane sloppy in position, facilitating a turnover which saw the ball played to Doué on the edge of the area. On his weaker left foot, he drilled a shot towards the near post, and Neuer was flat-footed, stationary, unable to stop the goal that had been coming.

There was still time for more drama. PSG were up on the scoreboard but soon down a man, as Pacho flew into the recently introduced Leon Goretzka, planting his studs into the lower leg of the German. Anthony Taylor pulled out a red card, and the leaders had to defend with just 10 men for the final eight minutes.

It looked like that would be a step too far. On 87 minutes, Olise whipped in another tremendous cross and Kane nodded home, alas, from beyond the defensive line once more. The linesman’s flag had saved les Parisiens again.

Then, PSG made things even harder for themselves: they wouldn’t finish the game with 10 men, but nine. It was a clash between two substitutes, as Hernández and Raphaël Guerreiro fought for the ball, and the latter was hit by a flying elbow. The Frenchman was dismissed against his former club, but even with the now significant numerical advantage, it was too little, too late for Bayern: PSG had done enough, and then did more, as Dembélé left his mark with a goal finished right into the far corner after a cutback from Achraf Hakimi.

Even after all of that, it still wasn’t over. Right at the end, a high boot from Nuno Mendes on Thomas Müller won Bayern a penalty, until once more, they were shortchanged: there was no contact, and after an agonising VAR delay, the penalty decision was chalked off.

And breathe.

PSG’s win makes them the third semi-finalist as they join Fluminense and Chelsea in the final four. They’ll face either Borussia Dortmund or Real Madrid in their attempt to make the maiden final of a competition which, after this game, felt truly like a contest between the very best of best.

The lineups

PSG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doué, Barcola, Kvaratskhelia

BAY: Neuer; Laimer, Tah, Upamecano, Stanišić; Kimmich, Pavlović; Olise, Musiala, Coman; Kane