Soccer-PSG beat Seattle to reach knockout stage at Club World Cup
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group B - Seattle Sounders v Paris St Germain - Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington, U.S. - June 23, 2025 Paris St Germain players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian
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Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
PSG ease past Seattle Sounders and into Club World Cup last 16
SEATTLE, June 24 — Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi scored either side of half-time as European champions Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders on Monday to secure their place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup. PSG needed to bounce back from their 1-0 loss at the hands of Botafogo in their last Group B outing and they were too strong for the MLS side without ever really playing to their full potential. Kvaratskhelia deflected a wayward Vitinha shot into the net to open the scoring on 35 minutes in front of 50,628 fans at Lumen Field, Sounders' home stadium. Hakimi then made it 2-0 just before the midway point in the second half to kill off any prospect of a comeback by the hosts. PSG are through and advance as group winners on goal difference, climbing up from second place because of Botafogo's late defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid at the same time in Pasadena. The French champions will now go through to a tie against the Group A runners-up in Atlanta on Sunday, as they leave the west coast for the first time since arriving in the United States. 'It wasn't easy because the pitch was very different to what we are used to in Europe so we couldn't play with the fluidity that we like, but we adapted,' said PSG coach Luis Enrique. He complained that the ball 'bounced around like a rabbit' but also praised the opposition for their performance. 'It was a great match, difficult for us, tough from the beginning because Seattle played a great match, with intensity and quality on and off the ball,' said the Spaniard. Dembele again absent The Paris coach made four changes to his line-up following the defeat at the hands of Botafogo, with captain Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves all coming in. However Ousmane Dembele, their top scorer during the European season just finished with 33 goals in all competitions, played no part for a third game running after travelling to the tournament with an injury. The Sounders needed a big win combined with a defeat for Atletico to progress to the last 16, something which was always going to be a big ask for the 2022 Concacaf Champions League winners. They didn't have the quality to overly trouble PSG, who saw Desire Doue threaten early on with a powerful shot that was tipped over by home goalkeeper Stefan Frei. A mistake by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at the other end gifted a chance to the home side, but it was not an easy one for Jesus Ferreira and he fired off-target. The Uefa Champions League winners got the opening goal 10 minutes before the interval when the ball came out to Vitinha on the edge of the area and his attempt took a rather lucky touch off the back of Kvaratskhelia to find the net. The second goal arrived on 66 minutes after Doue played a delightful pass out to the wing for Bradley Barcola and the substitute cut in from the left before setting up Hakimi to control and slot in his 10th goal since the season began. — AFP
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Atletico's Club World Cup exit is latest setback to Simeone's reign
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group B - Atletico Madrid v Botafogo - Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, U.S. - June 23, 2025 Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone before the match REUTERS/Mike Blake (Reuters) -Atletico Madrid will have to pick themselves up again as they pack their bags to travel back home earlier than most expected from the Club World Cup, after being knocked out of the tournament in the group stage. Diego Simeone's side were eliminated despite a 1-0 victory over Brazil's Botafogo in their final Group B match on Monday, as they finished third in the so-called "group of death", level on six points with Paris St Germain and Botafogo but falling short on goal difference. The damage was largely inflicted in that opening 4-0 thrashing by PSG, a scoreline that would ultimately prove fatal to their ambitions in FIFA's revamped multi-million dollar showcase. Simeone's men arrived in the United States with high hopes, boasting a squad that included Argentinian forward Julian Alvarez, former France captain Antoine Griezmann, and several other international names. However, their heavy loss to PSG and lacklustre performances overall raised further questions about the team's direction under their long-serving manager. Reflecting on the campaign, Simeone expressed pride in his players' efforts but lamented what he deemed poor officiating. "Proud of the boys' work. We gave absolutely everything we had. We won two out of three matches and even so, sadly we're out,' he told DAZN after the Botafogo win. "With six points, it wasn't bad, but the match against PSG condemned us, where every refereeing decision always went against us. Today's game also had a penalty decision overturned after a VAR review. It's more of the same. We know what we need to improve, and this will help us move forward." Griezmann was the standout performer against Botafogo, scoring the decisive goal and providing a rare spark for a side that has struggled to replicate the defensive prowess seen in Simeone's best years, when they reached two Champions League finals. Despite dominating possession, Atletico rarely troubled Botafogo's organised defence and needed their goalkeeper Jan Oblak to work their magic against their Brazilian rivals to avoid a worst result. The previous defeat by PSG had already exposed familiar weaknesses, including frail defending against wide players and a lack of creativity in the final third—issues that have plagued them during their four consecutive trophy-less seasons. Blaming the refereeing rather than facing their own issues seems like a tough pill to swallow to Atletico fans as this latest disappointment heaps further pressure on Simeone, Europe's highest-paid manager, as he prepares for his 14th season in charge of the Madrid side. Critics and fans alike are questioning whether the Argentine's leadership can still inspire a squad that has stagnated in both domestic and European competitions. Adding to Atletico's woes is the sight of bitter rivals Real Madrid poised to advance in FIFA's revamped tournament. With an off-season of introspection ahead, Atletico face mounting challenges to rebuild and reclaim their status as contenders on all fronts. (Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Botafogo deserve respect for progressing from 'group of death', says Freitas
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group B - Atletico Madrid v Botafogo - Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, U.S. - June 23, 2025 Referee Cesar Arturo Ramos with Botafogo's Alexander Barboza, Botafogo's Marlon Freitas and Atletico Madrid's Rodrigo De Paul after looking at the VAR monitor and not giving Atletico Madrid a penalty REUTERS/Mike Blake PASADENA (Reuters) -Botafogo have defied their critics by making it to the Club World Cup last 16, captain Marlon Freitas said, even after his side lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid and finished second in Group B on Monday. Antoine Griezmann's late strike secured victory for Atletico, but it was not enough to overhaul the Brazilian side's goal difference as they finished second to Paris St Germain in Group B. Freitas emphasised the achievement of advancing to the knockout stage from what many had dubbed the "group of death". "Sure, we wanted to win, and I think we had our chances. We knew how to defend, and I believe we deserved at least a draw. Conceding that late goal was heartbreaking because we wanted to finish top of the group," Freitas told TV Globo. "However, we should celebrate because, before the tournament started, everyone thought we had no chance against two top opponents from major European leagues. We've shown the value of Brazilian football. We are champions of South America, and we deserve respect." Veteran defender Alex Telles echoed Freitas' comments. "It's difficult to talk about it right now," Telles said. "PSG and Atletico showed us more respect than most fans and pundits did. The team did what it had to do to advance to the next stage. "Here we are, those who some said came to see Mickey in Disneyland, through to the round of 16 in the group of death. Qualifying shows the work done by this incredible group of men." Botafogo will now face the Group A winners on Saturday, while PSG take on the runners-up on Sunday. (Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Christian Radnedge)
