Paris Saint-Germain booked their spot in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals by beating fellow European heavyweights Bayern Munich 2-0, ending a four-match losing H2H run in the process.
As a result of the dearth of attacking quality on display in Atlanta, it took 20 minutes for either side to manufacture a clear sighting of goal, when a slick PSG move ended with Désiré Doué cutting the ball back for Fabián Ruiz on the edge of the area, but he swept an effort over the crossbar. The pair traded blows from there, and Bayern managed to get their first meaningful effort on target through Michael Olise, but Gianluigi Donnarumma was equal to his stinging drive.
The pendulum swiftly swung back in the Parisians’ favour as they created the best chance of the game just after the half-hour mark. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia took matters into his own hands, weaving past the Bayern defence only to see his low drive repelled by the legs of Manuel Neuer. The game duly swung back Bayern’s way, and Donarumma was picking the ball out of the back of the net on the stroke of HT as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s free-kick, only for the assistant referee’s flag to cut short Bayern’s celebrations.