Paris Saint-Germain’s French striker #10, Ousmane Dembele, celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the final French Champions Trophy (Trophee des Champions) football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and AS Monaco (ASM) at Stadium 974 in Doha. on January 5, 2025. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
Ousmane Dembélé’s goal in added time settled the French Champions Trophy on Sunday, giving Paris Saint-Germain a 1-0 victory over Monaco in a match played in Doha.
PSG’s problems in front of goal this season have often cost them their lives in the Champions League, and they were thwarted throughout this match by a combination of poor finishing and some good saves from Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Koehn.
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However, it was ultimately a deserved victory for Luis Enrique’s team in Qatar, as PSG won the trophy (the French equivalent of a Super Cup or England’s Neighborhood Defend) for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons.
“It was a great match between two teams that play good football,” said Luis Enrique.
“The result is well deserved and reflects our dominance… against one of the best teams in France and Europe.”
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This meeting was supposed to be held in Beijing on August 8 as the opening of the French campaign.
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However, the Chinese authorities ended up canceling it and Qatar, owner of PSG through Qatar Sports Investments, stepped in to organize the match.
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It took place at Stadium 974 in Doha, which hosted matches for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and was not full for this match.
PSG swept national honors in France last season and were looking to claim the first leg of another treble this campaign.
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A 4-2 win in Monaco last month, when Dembélé scored a brace, allowed them to finish 2024 with a 10-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 over both Marseille and the principality’s club.
READ: PSG begins the post-Mbappé stage with victory in Le Havre
Key month
When Need Doue took advantage of a weak Koehn pass and hit the crossbar in the eighth minute, it looked like it was going to be a long night for Monaco.
Vitinha sent a shot wide and Lee Kang-in had a thunderous shot deflected away by Koehn, although Monaco also threatened when Maghnes Akliouche’s shot was parried away by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Eliesse Ben Seghir also tested PSG’s Italian goalkeeper shortly after the break, and Vanderson hit the post from a tight angle for Monaco, but PSG increased the pressure as the second half progressed.
However, the game was heading towards penalties before the goal arrived in the 92nd minute, when substitute Fabián Ruiz was released on the left and sent a low ball into the penalty area for Dembélé to convert at the far post.
It’s the perfect start to a big month for PSG, who will face Manchester Metropolis in an important Champions League match on January 22.
Monaco also have some key weeks ahead, including games against Aston Villa and Inter Milan, as they look to advance to the Champions League knockout stage.
“A goal in the last minute always feels like a stab in the back,” said Monaco’s Austrian coach Adi Huetter.
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“But to be honest, PSG deserved to win. “They had more opportunities.”
