International Champions Cup Updates and Matches: Paris Saint Germain Dispatched Real Madrid 3-1, Meunier Slotted 2
Paris Saint Germain made a triple first-half goals against rival Real Madrid en route to a 3-1 victory before the full-time whistle sounds at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio in a matchup that started 7:30 p.m., Wednesday.
PSG took the momentum early during the second minute after Nanitamo Ikone ran all of 40 yards before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. Then Thomas Meunier scored another goal from the 25 yards in the top corner, then took another one after five minutes, to a total of three for PSG, in display for the 86,000 in attendance.
After Ikone's opener, PSG intercepted a pass from Carlos Enrique Casemiro on the edge of the box. Casemiro tried to recover with an effort using his left foot, Thomas Meunier reacted timely and the ball then found the top corner of Real Madrid's net from 25 yards out. The third was made when Meunier was sent clear down the right flank, the ball rebounded back into his path paving another ball kick into an empty net.
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Real Madrid's answer came four minutes after when Marcelo Vieira da Silva took on the responsibility for the kick and propelled the ball into the corner, despite Kevin Trapp's effort to block the goal.
The 53rd through 57th minutes saw action again when PSG very nearly landed a fourth when striker Edinson Cavani kicked the ball off the basket but the Uruguayan's volley is well smothered by the goalkeeper. Real Madrid then tried two shots with Marco Asensio on the edge of the penalty area but the shot found a way towards the far corner just evading the far post. Asensio took another that almost made way through the bottom corner, he tried his luck from the other side of the penalty area but his effort was tipped over by Trapp.
At the 68th minute, Meunier and Cavani worked together but failed to exploit any clear shots. Meunier ran onto a slide-rule pass from the full-back but the shot landed wide of the near post.
The remaining minutes saw the 86,641 soccer fans yawning over the amount of neat passing that is taking place in the middle third. But it became exciting again as the final 10 minutes approached and supporters from each club Iceland clap as Real still tried to salvage the game to find a second goal but were outclassed and overpowered.
Meanwhile, here is the full schedule of the six remaining International Champions US leg:
REAL MADRID CF versus CHELSEA FC
7/30/16 3:00PM EDT
Ann Arbor, MI
FC INTERNAZIONALE versus FC BAYERN MUNICH
7/30/16 5:00PM EDT
Charlotte, NC
LIVERPOOL FC versus AC MILAN
7/30/16 7:00PM PDT
Santa Clara, CA
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN versus LEICESTER CITY FC
7/30/16 8:30PM PDT
Carson, CA
FC BAYERN MUNICH versus REAL MADRID CF
8/03/16 7:30PM EDT
East Rutherford, NJ
AC MILAN versus CHELSEA FC
8/03/16 8:00PM CDT
Minneapolis, MN
