Club World Cup: PSG Thrashes 10-Man Atlético Madrid, Palmeiras and Porto Play to a Draw
- European champions dominate Spanish rivals
- Palmeiras and Porto finish goalless in a half-filled stadium
- Bayern Munich crush Auckland City, also with 10 men
PSG Kicks Off With a Crushing 4–0 Win Over Atlético Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning UEFA Champions League winners, got off to a flying start in the Club World Cup by defeating Atlético Madrid 4–0 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Sunday.
The French giants struck first with a stunning long-range goal from Fabián Ruiz in the 19th minute, continuing their unbeaten run since their emphatic 5–0 victory over Inter Milan last month that crowned them European champions.
Just before halftime, Atlético missed a golden opportunity when Antoine Griezmann squandered a clear chance. PSG quickly capitalized with a counterattack that ended in a clinical finish by Vitinha, doubling their lead under the sunny skies of Southern California.
Atlético thought they had pulled one back in the 57th minute when Julián Álvarez found the net, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review, which showed that Koke had committed a foul on Warren Zaïre-Emery in the buildup.
In the 87th minute, substitute Senny Mayulu added a third for PSG, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback. Then, in stoppage time, Lee Kang-in sealed the win with a penalty kick.
To make matters worse for Atlético, Clément Lenglet was sent off in the 78th minute, leaving them to finish the match with 10 men.
Goalless Stalemate Between Palmeiras and Porto
Palmeiras and Porto, the two-time European champions, played to a 0–0 draw in their Club World Cup opener on Sunday night. The match took place at MetLife Stadium, with a crowd of 46,275—a bit over half capacity.
Palmeiras nearly broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Estêvão unleashed a strong left-footed shot, but Cláudio Ramos comfortably saved it. The rebound fell to Richard Ríos, but his follow-up was also blocked.
Palmeiras—champions of Brazil in 2022 and 2023—qualified for the tournament as the 2021 Copa Libertadores winners, while Porto earned their spot as the fifth-best European team over the past four years.
Palmeiras fans filled one side of the stadium, waving flags and cheering throughout. Their team dominated possession and played a physical game, which disrupted Porto’s defensive rhythm.
In extra time, Palmeiras created more chances. Ramos made four key saves, including a 92nd-minute header from Lucas Evangelista, and a close-range shot from Raphael Veiga that sailed over the bar a minute later. On the other side, Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton also made three important stops during the match.
Elsewhere in Group A
The tournament began on Saturday with a 0–0 draw between Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly.
Looking ahead:
- Palmeiras will face African giants Al Ahly (12-time champions) on Thursday in East Rutherford
- Porto will play Inter Miami the same day in Atlanta
