Neymar stars as PSG ease past Reims

Published January 24, 2020
REIMS: Paris St Germain’s Marquinhos (third L) heads to score during the Coupe de la Ligue semi-final against Stade de Reims at the Auguste Delaune Stadium.—AFP
REIMS: Paris St Germain’s Marquinhos (third L) heads to score during the Coupe de la Ligue semi-final against Stade de Reims at the Auguste Delaune Stadium.—AFP

REIMS: Neymar was involved in all three goals as Paris St Germain cruised past Stade de Reims 3-0 on a chilly Wednesday night to set up a Coupe de la Ligue final against Olympique Lyonnais.

The home side had a player sent off with about 20 minutes left but PSG were already 2-0 up in the semi-final by then.

Brazil centre-half Marqui­nhos rose well near the back post to head in Neymar’s floating corner from the right in the ninth minute.

For the next goal, Neymar whipped in a free kick from the left which eluded the head of Marquinhos before being turned into the net by defender Ghislain Konan for an own goal in the 31st.

Moments after midfielder Marshall Munetsi was shown the red card for clattering into Marco Verratti from behind, PSG added a third goal in the 77th.

Neymar clipped a corner from the right perfectly into the path of midfielder Leandro Paredes and his firm volley from the edge of the penalty area was saved by goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic. But the ball hit the post and rolled to 17-year-old defender Tanguy Kouassi for a tap-in.

Thomas Tuchel’s team will face Lyon, who beat Lille on penalties on Tuesday, in a Stade de France showdown on April 4.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2020

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