Paris St-Germain secured their place in the FIFA Club World Cup knockout stages, winning Group B with a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Monday.
The result sets up a tantalizing round of 16 clash against Inter Miami, which will see PSG face their former superstar, Lionel Messi.
The reigning European champions responded well after a surprise 1-0 defeat to Botafogo in their previous match. They opened the scoring with a degree of fortune when Vitinha’s long-range strike deflected off the back of teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and into the net. They added a second on the counter-attack when Bradley Barcola set up Achraf Hakimi for a powerful finish.
Luis Enrique’s side controlled the contest, with French prodigy Desire Doue forcing three saves from Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei. The MLS side’s best opportunity came when PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma misplaced a pass directly to Jesus Ferreira, but the forward shot over from a tight angle.
The victory was a return to form for PSG, who had won six consecutive matches, including the Champions League final, before their loss to Botafogo. They now stand four games away from potentially adding a first world title to their maiden European crown.
Portuguese midfielder Vitinha was again a standout performer in the heart of the PSG midfield, controlling the tempo and completing 107 of his 113 attempted passes. The 25-year-old is pursuing a remarkable trio of trophies, having already won the Champions League with PSG and the UEFA Nations League with Portugal this summer.
The upcoming last 16 match against Inter Miami in Atlanta on Sunday is laden with narrative. It will be the first time PSG have faced Messi since he left the club. Furthermore, several key Inter Miami figures, including Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, and their manager Javier Mascherano, all played under current PSG boss Luis Enrique during his successful tenure at FC Barcelona.
The Seattle Sounders, having been eliminated from the tournament, will return to MLS action on Sunday against Austin FC.
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