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LIVE: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL: PSG 0-1 BAYERN MUNICH

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GOAL! PSG 0-1 BAYERN MUNICH

  • Neymar’s 60th appearance in this competition ends in heartbreak, five years after he won the trophy with Barcelona.
  • FULL TIME! Bayern Munich are the Champions of Europe for the sixth time.  They did it in a style., winning 10 matches in a row! Coman’s well-placed header proved decisive against his former club, whose wait for a first success in this competition goes on.
  • There are some sporting moments out there as Alaba comforts Neymar and Davies does likewise with Mbappé who stood alone, lost in his thoughts for a couple of minutes after that final whistle.
  • Bayern’s sixth European Cup, level with 2019 winners Liverpool and behind only Real Madrid (13) and AC Milan (seven).This adds to Bayern’s triumphs in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001 and 2013.

Only one game in this season’s Champions League has gone to extra time: Atlético’s 3-2 win at Liverpool in the round of 16. Paris need to find a goal from somewhere soon if they are to force a second

PSG 0-1 Bayern Munich

84min: And another free-kick as Thiago Silva is booked for also bringing down Lewandowski. Coutinho’s shot from the resulting free-kick just curls wide of the near post, but Keylor Navas had it covered

Both sides look to be tiring. They’ve both put so much into this and you sense Bayern are throwing the kitchen sink at getting a second to kill off any Paris hopes, as opposed to trying to hold on to what they’ve got

  • Bayern are the top scorers this season with 43 goals now – a total of 18 goals more than any other team. They are two goals behind Barcelona’s record of 45 goals (Barcelona played 16 matches – the final is Bayern’s 11th game).
  • Paris have scored at least one goal in each of their last 34 UEFA Champions League matches – the last time they failed to score in was April 2016 vs Man. City. They jointly hold the record with Real Madrid, so an equaliser in this match would see them hold the record outright.

This is not the first time Paris have trailed during this mini-tournament, of course. They were 1-0 down to Atalanta until the 90th minute, when two late efforts sparked a thrilling turnaround. They won’t let their heads drop here.

Paris had kept seven clean sheets in their previous ten UEFA Champions League matches this season but Coman has ensured the record will not be lengthened.

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Paris Saint-Germain substitution

65min: PSG have not responded at all and now it’s time for their first change as Marco Verratti replaces Leandro Paredes.

59min: The Champions League final comes alive!  PSG fail to properly clear from inside the box, and after Josh Kimmich clips a ball to the back post, Kingsley Coman heads across goal into the bottom corner.

Half-time verdict: Paris
Paris will head into their dressing room with every reason to feel positive about this game so far. Both teams have had excellent chances and enjoyed periods of dominance, with perhaps Bayern’s defence looking the more vulnerable of the two. It all bodes well for the second half!

Half-time verdict: Bayern
No goals to report, but what an exciting half that was! Bayern had more of the ball, but both have had chances to open the scoring only to be denied by goalkeepers on red alert. Bayern are used to scoring early, but have tonight met their match against the best defence in the competition. It’s all poised for a thrilling second half.

HALF TIME

PSG 0-0 BAYERN MUNICH

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37 MIN: Marquinhos (Paris) concedes a free-kick for a foul on Lewandowski (Bayern).

Bayern Munich substitution

25min: Looks like Boateng wasn’t fit enough to start the final after all, for the fourth game in a row he departs to make way for Niklas Sule, having been a doubt for the final with a muscle injury.

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Bayern looked on top for the opening ten minutes but the last ten have most certainly been Paris’s.

12min: The game is a bit flat at the moment.. much like some of the match balls. Bayern boss Hans-Dieter Flick squeezes a ball after it bounces towards him before informing the match official that it is indeed now a dud

PSG 0-0 Bayern Munich

9min: Kylian Mbappe is tripped on the left flank by Alcantara to give PSG a free-kick but Angel di Maria’s ball in is headed clear at the back post by Alphonso Davies.

************************************************************************PSG are gunning for their first ever UEFA Champions League title while Bayern Munich aim at winning again after their sixth victory. Who carries the day?

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  • PSG starting XI: Navas, Kehrer, Thiago Silva, Kimpembe, Bernat, Ander Herrera, Marquinhos, Paredes, Di Maria, Neymar, Mbappe
  • Bayern Munich starting XI: Neuer, Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies, Goretzka, Thiago, Gnabry, Muller, Coman, Lewandowski  

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Falcons, Green Ladies’ clash in Lagos on Tuesday to start 2pm

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Tuesday’s international friendly between the Super Falcons and Algeria’s Green Ladies at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos will now commence at 2pm, as against the earlier-advertised 4pm.

The Nigeria Football Federation explained on Sunday that the Algerian delegation has opted to commence their return journey on Tuesday night.

“This has necessitated us moving the match forward in order to finish the encounter early for them to prepare for their movement to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos for their return trip aboard Qatar Airways,” NFF’s Head of International Competitions, Dayo Enebi Achor, said.

The two international friendlies were put together by the Nigeria Football Federation to help the rebuilding process of the Super Falcons, following a below-par performance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in France this summer, and the departure of American gaffer Randy Waldrum.

Two magnificent goals by Captain Rasheedat Ajibade earned the Falcons a 2-0 win over the Algerians on Saturday. A good number of home-based professionals, including former U17 stars Miracle Usani, Chioma Olise and Goodness Osigwe showed great promise in an entertaining encounter at the Remo Stars Training Complex in Ikenne-Remo.

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Farid Benstiti, Coach of the Green Ladies, told thenff.com that his youthful team will prove a handful for the Falcons on Tuesday, having learnt a couple of things during the game in Ikenne-Remo.

“We will be much better on Tuesday. My girls have seen and learnt a few lessons today. We will take those lessons on board and dig our feet into the ground against the Falcons on Tuesday.”

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It’s hattrick as Morocco hosts CAF Awards for the third time in a row

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The CAF Awards will again hold in Morocco this time on 16 December. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the prestigious ceremony, which honors the best performers in African football, will again take place on December 16 in Morocco.

This marks the third consecutive year that the North African nation will host the event, following successful editions in 2022 at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmora and 2023 at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech.

No specific venue has been named for the 2024 edition.

The ceremony encompasses various categories, including the coveted African Player of the Year award, which has been presented annually since 1992, with Ghana’s Abedi Pele being the inaugural recipient.

Other notable accolades include the African Women’s Player of the Year, Youth Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Club of the Year awards, among others.

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Time to put second star on England shirt, says new coach Tuchel

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England FA Press Conference - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 16, 2024 New England manager Thomas Tuchel and FA CEO Mark Bullingham during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

England head coach Thomas Tuchel strode confidently into Wembley Stadium on Wednesday with a single-minded vision to win the 2026 World Cup for the success-starved soccer nation.

A whirlwind week has seen the 51-year-old German sign an 18-month contract to lead England to the tournament being played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Speaking at a packed news conference, the former Paris St Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach borrowed a quote from Brazilian great Pele to describe his excitement at becoming only the third foreign coach to lead England.

“I’m of course obviously very excited and honoured to be here today as a new head coach of England,” Tuchel, who will take up his new role in January, told reporters.

“I just had the chance to read a quote from Pele in the building who said that Wembley is the heart, the capital and the cathedral of football and I think he was absolutely right.”

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England, however, have not won the World Cup, or any other major trophy, since 1966 and Tuchel said it was time to capitalise on one of the best squads since that 1966 team.

“I understood very quickly that it’s a big job,” Tuchel said. “Once I made a time frame up in my mind from January to the World Cup, I felt already excited that it suited my passion, to strive to push this group of players.

“To be part of this federation with such a strong record in the last tournaments to push it over the line and to try to put a second star on the shirt,” he added in reference to the convention of international teams wearing shirts bearing the number of stars to match their World Cup triumphs.

Mark Bullingham, the FA’s chief executive, said around 10 candidates had been interviewed for the job but that Tuchel had a clear vision that would give a highly-rated squad the best chance of winning the World Cup.

QUESTIONS RAISED

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After eight years under Englishman Gareth Southgate, in which England reached a World Cup semi-final and two European Championship finals, the choice of Tuchel has raised questions about why another English coach was not appointed.

Tuchel, who was asked one question in German, said he had not made a decision on whether he would sing the national anthem, but had a message for critics of his appointment.

“I’m sorry, I just have a German passport but the supporters felt my passion for the English Premier League, my passion for the country, how I love to live here,” Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, said.

“Hopefully, I can convince them and show them and prove them that I’m proud to be the English manager, I will do everything to show respect to this role and to this country and the target for the next 18 months is nothing else.

“Everyone can be assured that we will do it with passion and with emotions and we will try to install values and principles and rules as quickly as possible to make the dream come true.”

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Tuchel, who will be assisted by English coach Anthony Barry, said the relatively short 18-month contract was streamlined and allowed him to focus solely on the World Cup.

“It’s 18 months and then we agreed to sit together and then we see. I have good experience with 18 months personally,” Tuchel, who was sacked after a similar period by Chelsea and lasted only one full season at Bayern Munich, said.

“I think it’s a good time frame because it will help us to focus. We are here to work on the best possible outcome for the World Cup and then let’s see whatever comes.”

-Reuters

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