Newly crowned European champions Paris St-Germain launched their inaugural Fifa Club World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl on Sunday, captivating an 80,619-strong crowd despite the searing heat.
From the outset, PSG asserted dominance, controlling 82.6% of possession in the first 15 minutes. The breakthrough came when Fabian Ruiz unleashed a precise low strike from the edge of the penalty area, rifling the ball into the bottom corner.
Portuguese striker Goncalo Ramos, despite squandering three chances, kept Atletico’s defense under pressure. Just before halftime, Vitinha showcased his finesse, gliding through Atletico’s backline to slot the ball past goalkeeper Jan Oblak, cementing PSG’s grip on the match.
Atletico struggled to respond, with Oblak’s heroics keeping them in contention. Early in the second half, he tipped a curling effort from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia onto the crossbar. However, PSG’s momentum was briefly halted when Julian Alvarez’s goal was disallowed due to a foul by Koke on Desire Doue during the buildup.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 78th minute when Atletico’s Clement Lenglet received a second yellow card for dissent after protesting a non-call when Oblak was impeded, reducing his side to 10 men.
Atletico’s hopes of a comeback dimmed when substitute Alexander Sorloth missed an open goal from close range in the 82nd minute. PSG capitalized on their numerical advantage, with substitute Senny Mayulu, fresh off his Champions League final heroics, firing into the bottom corner in the 87th minute.
The match concluded with late drama as Ibrahim Mbaye struck the post, followed by a VAR-awarded penalty for a handball by Atletico’s Robin le Normand. Lee Kang-in calmly converted, sealing PSG’s emphatic 4-0 rout.