Injury-Time Winner Hands Tuchel First Win With PSG

-


Virgiliu Postolachi of Paris Saint Germain (2R) celebrates after scoring the third goal against Atletico Madrid during the International Champions Cup football match in Singapore on July 30, 2018. Roslan RAHMAN / AFP
Virgiliu Postolachi’s injury-time strike handed Thomas Tuchel his first win as Paris Saint-Germain coach after a pulsating 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid on Monday.
Postolachi, 18, curled a stunning shot past Antonio Adan to settle the friendly after Atletico had recovered from 2-0 down, helped by Antoine Bernede’s own goal on 86 minutes.
PSG welcomed back Angel Di Maria after World Cup duty and Italy’s Marco Verratti, but it was Christopher Nkunku and Moussa Diaby who put them 2-0 up before Victor Mollejo pulled one back for Atletico.
The win was welcome for German newcomer Tuchel, whose under-strength French champions have fallen 3-1 and 5-1 to Bayern Munich and Arsenal in their previous pre-season friendlies.
Nkunku’s tap-in on 32 minutes was the highlight of a drab first half in front of 22,007 fans at the 55,000-capacity Singapore National Stadium.
The 20-year-old midfielder was on hand to gobble up the rebound after a strong hint of a defensive handball in the Atletico box.
The lead was deserved for PSG, who had most of the play but created few clear chances apart from a long-range Di Maria free kick and Nkunku’s header from a Colin Dagba shot.
But Atletico were dangerous on the break. Angel Correa and Luciano Vietto both had shots blocked on the line and Kevin Gameiro fired over when one-on-one with goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.
PSG changed nine outfield players at half-time — a number that rose to 11 by 60 minutes, including an injury to substitute Alec Georgen — as the game opened up markedly.
Eighteen-year-old Tim Weah was denied by Antonio Adan and Adan then saved from Moussa Diaby — who rattled the crossbar from the edge of the box shortly afterwards.
But Diaby, 19, was not to be denied and made no mistake when he was selflessly put through by Weah on 71 minutes, planting his shot low and to Adan’s left.
Atletico had twice come close at the other end and they finally scored on 76 minutes when Victor Mollejo stuck the rebound from his own shot past Trapp.
And with four minutes to go, they had a huge slice of luck when Borja Garces’s cross deflected off the helpless Bernede and into the PSG goal.
The game looked like it was headed for a draw until Postolachi popped up with the decisive strike from the top of the penalty area.
AFP

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why we accepted list of APC candidates from Rivers- INEC

-
Image
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it collected the list of candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State because there was no court order or judgment barring it from doing so. The Supreme Court had on October 22, 2018, descended on the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal for granting an application in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in respect of the conduct of the party’s congresses in the state. A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, in its unanimous judgment, held that the Court of Appeal committed “a sacrilegious exercise of discretion” by favouring the APC in its June 21, 2018, judgment despite the party’s decision to conduct its congresses in Rivers State in disobedience of subsisting orders of the court. The Supreme Court faulted the action of the APC, and described the conduct of the party’s ward, local government and state congresses of May 19, 20 and 21, 2018, respectively, in River
Read more

Arewa Consultative Forum Endorses Buhari For Second Term

-
Image
President Muhammadu Buhari speaks during a meeting at the State House in Abuja. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for second term ahead of the presidential election scheduled to hold on Saturday. The forum announced its support for the President in a statement by its acting Chairman, Musa Kwande, on Tuesday. It noted that it carefully studied the antecedents of major presidential candidates, the manifestoes and policy documents of their parties, alongside the need for social, political and economic stability in the country. The ACF explained that this made it come to the conclusion that President Buhari deserved a second term to consolidate on his achievements. It added that its stand was informed by the strides taken by the Buhari administration to improve and reposition the nation economically. Some of the steps highlighted by the forum include the multi-billion Dollar Mambilla hydropower project, the exploration of oil in Gon
Read more

BREAKING: Court Grants Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal, Two Others Bail

-
Image
An Abuja High Court has granted bail to the former Secretary-General of the Federation,  Babachir  Lawal and two others. The court on Wednesday granted them bail in the sum of N50m each with one surety. The sureties must be residents within the jurisdiction of the court; they must possess titles to lands within the jurisdiction of the court, show evidence of payment of tax for the past three years. The court further noted that each of the defendants is to deposit their international passport with the court pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and are to remain in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Babachir is being accused of diverting funds meant for the clearing of evasive plants in the troubled northeast. Next trial has been fixed for March 18, 2019.
Read more