Javier Mascherano’s men were vastly outmatched by a superior side, and will watch the rest of FIFA’s flagship club tournament from home
Lionel Messi couldn’t work miracles and the Inter Miami team around him crumbled as a rampant PSG coasted to a 4-0 win to bounce the Herons from the Club World Cup in the round of 16. Miami had unexpectedly made it out of their group, and always seemed to be outmatched here. And their only real achievement was keeping the scoreline respectable.
Miami shot themselves in the foot within five minutes when Maxi Falcon allowed Joao Neves – one of the shortest players on the pitch – to sneak in at the back post and head home for 1-0. And it was pretty much one-way traffic after that. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was a constant buzzing threat on the left wing, while Vitinha and Neves ran the midfield.
The second goal, also from Neves, rather sealed it. Sergio Busquets lost the ball on the edge of the Miami box, and the Parisians went to work. Five touches later and Neves was rolling into an empty net. They grabbed two more before half time, a Tomas Aviles own goal and a rebound tap in for the marauding Achraf Hakimi.
PSG rotated throughout the second half, and Miami offered a little more fight. Messi had his moments in the final third, and forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a neat save late on. Otherwise, though, the Herons were toothless against a Parisian side that dominated on and off the ball. This wasn’t an indictment on one player. PSG are simply world-class. But the Herons’ Club World Cup journey has come to a remarkably predictable end.
GOAL rates Inter Miami’s players from Mercedes-Benz Stadium…
