By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) delivered a ruthless and commanding performance to dismantle Atlético Madrid 4-0 in a high-stakes FIFA Club World Cup showdown.
The Group B match played in Los Angeles, saw the French giants controlling proceedings from start to finish, punishing their Spanish opponents with clinical precision and tactical brilliance.
The match began with early intent from Atlético, as Julian Alvarez came close in the third minute with a free kick that curled agonisingly wide.
But PSG responded with authority. In the 19th minute, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia teed up Fabián Ruiz, who struck a precise shot from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner to open the scoring.
As the half wore on, Atlético pushed for an equaliser. Antoine Griezmann looked poised to level the game just before the break, but Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a sensational close-range save to deny him. The miss proved costly as Vitinha doubled PSG’s lead moments later with a solo effort, finishing with a powerful strike inside the box to make it 2-0 at halftime.
Atletico thought they had found a lifeline in the 57th minute when Alvarez slotted home after a determined assist from Giuliano Simeone, but their celebrations were short-lived. Referee Istvan Kovacs, after a VAR review, disallowed the goal due to a foul in the buildup.
Their woes deepened in the 78th minute when Clement Lenglet was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for dissent. Down to ten men, Atletico struggled to contain PSG’s relentless attacks.
PSG extended their lead in the 87th minute when substitute Senny Mayulu capitalised on a defensive mix-up to fire in from close range.
In stoppage time, Ibrahim Mbaye nearly added a fourth, weaving through the defence but striking the post.
Controversy erupted again as Robin Le Normand appeared to handle the ball in the area. After initially waving play on, the referee was called to the monitor and ultimately awarded a penalty following a VAR review. Kang-In Lee calmly slotted home in the 97th minute, sealing a resounding 4-0 victory.
