PSG ease past Seattle Sounders to advance to Club World Cup R16

Paris Saint-Germain sealed their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC), as the French side won 2-0 against Seattle Sounders.   

Despite dominating proceedings against their North American opposition, the European champions were indebted to fortune for the slim lead that they took into the break.

When the breakthrough eventually came, it was from a huge deflection off Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as the Georgian inadvertently put his side in the lead when he found himself in the path of a wayward Vitinha shot.

The goal proved to be the culmination of a period of pressure that saw Stefan Frei make a string of saves, most notably acrobatically denying Désiré Doué after the French youngster rifled a shot towards the top corner.

While the Sounders’ attacking presence was limited in the first half, they failed to take advantage of a Gianluigi Donnarumma gift that gave them the chance to take the lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

The Italian goalkeeper dallied on the ball outside of his box, before putting a tame pass into the path of Seattle striker Jesus Ferreira, but he blasted a long way over from a tight angle.

It was a similarly dominant opening to the second half for Luis Enrique’s men, but after their surprise loss to Botafogo last week, a one-goal lead still left them perilously close to exiting the tournament.