Neymar shines with goal and assists, and PSG wins on debut

Paris Saint-Germain, current champions of the French Championship, beat Clermont today (06), 5-0, in their debut in the competition. Neymar was the highlight of the match and, with one goal and three assists, he led PSG towards its first victory in the championship. The other goals were scored by Hakimi, Marquinhos and Messi, who scored twice, once on a bicycle.

PSG’s next game will be at Parc des Princes, against Montpellier, next Saturday (13), at 16:00 (Brasília time). Clermont, in turn, plays on Sunday (14), away from home, against Reims, at 10 am (Brasilia time). Both matches are valid for the second round of the French Championship.

Mbappe out

Kylian Mbappé, one of the highlights of PSG, was out of the team’s debut in the French Championship due to discomfort in the adductor muscle of the thigh. The young French star was not even listed for the match.

Neymar protagonist and decisive

Inattentive, PSG allowed Clermont to create chances early in the game with steals and quick attacks from the left. Paris Saint-Germain had a lot of possession and, to open up Clermont’s compact defense, they used the sides of the field a lot with wingers Hakimi and Nuno Mendes.

After a good move on the left and a low cross backwards, Neymar finished firmly and in the corner after a slight deflection by Messi and opened the scoring in the ninth minute for PSG. Well closed on the inside, Clermont gave a lot of work to PSG’s attack, which had difficulties creating plays and finding spaces.

Defensively safe, Clermont risked attacking PSG a little and, in a deadly counterattack, Neymar scored with Messi at high speed and launched Hakimi who, free-kick, finished inside the area very well to extend the advantage to Paris Saint-Germain at 25 minutes.

At 39, Neymar took the free-kick accurately and defender Marquinhos, with his header, scored the Parisian club’s third goal. With the game under control, PSG controlled the partial victory keeping possession of the ball and trying to take advantage of the spaces given by the home team, which felt the thud. With a goal and two assists in 45 minutes, Neymar was the owner of the game in the first half.

Messi show and bicycle goal

Paris Saint-Germain did not change its posture in the second half and continued to dominate the game completely and in search of more goals. Clermont, in turn, found it more difficult to reach the attack and suffered a lot to reduce the volume of Neymar’s game, who continued to make the difference for PSG in the attack and being participative even in the defensive phase.

With a very mobile attack, PSG created problems for Clermont when they managed to speed up the game, even with Messi playing a timid game and acting more centrally, while Neymar fell more on the left side.

Messi, who had not been appearing much in the game, found a lot of space in midfield, took off and found Neymar inside the area in clear conditions to finish for the goal. The Brazilian, however, waited and returned the ball to Messi who, in the small area, made PSG’s fourth in the 35th minute.

Clermont felt Paris Saint-Germain’s fourth goal a lot and surrendered, allowing a lot of space. Leandro Paredes, who came on in the second half, gave a beautiful shot to Messi who, inside the area, killed him in the chest and turned a bicycle, scoring a great goal in the 41st minute, giving the final numbers to the game.

Great start to the year for PSG

Counting the pre-season friendlies and the French Super Cup, Paris Saint-Germain played five games, with five wins, 17 goals scored and just three conceded.

With the right to a goal by Neymar from a free-kick and a penalty, PSG defeated Nantes 4-0 and became champion of the French Supercup in the period.

DATASHEET

Clermont 0x5 Paris Saint-Germain

Date: 08/06/2022

Competition: French Championship

Hour: 16:00 (from Brasilia)

Place: Stade Gabriel-Montpied (FRA)

Referee: Jérémy Stinat

Yellow cards: Vitinha (PSG), Allevinah (CLE), Gonalons (CLE)

goals: Neymar 8min/1T (PSG), Hakimi 25min/1T (PSG), Marquinhos 39min/1T (PSG), Messi 35min/2T and 41min/2T (PSG)

Clermont lineup: Diaw; Wieteska, Seidu, Ogier and Neto Borges; Gonalons, Gastien, Rashani, Saracevic (Magnin) and Allevinah (Dosso); Andric. Coach: Pascal Gastien.

PSG lineup: Donnarumma; Sergio Ramos (Mukiele), Marquinhos and Kimpembe; Hakimi, Verratti, Vitinha (Paredes) and Nuno Mendes (Bernat); Messi, Neymar and Sarabia (Ekitike). Coach: Christophe Galtier.