- PSG 1-1 Chelsea (Chelsea win 6-5 on penalties)
- Ibrahimovic opens the scoring but Moses equalises for the Blues
This was anything but meaningless.
A hard-fought, entertaining match which ended in a penalty shoot-out triumph for the English champions over their French counterparts delivered more than its fair share of excitement, and plotlines that will develop rapidly as the new season begins next Sunday, when Chelsea and Arsenal meet in the Community Shield at Wembley.
For Jose Mourinho, it was a chance to send Radamel Falcao out for the first time in a Blue shirt, while Diego Costa, once again, proved his uncanny knack of infuriating and frustrating defenders to the point where wild kicks almost always ensue.
The PSG full-back Serge Aurier became incredibly flustered with the Chelsea striker, who received a boot to the leg for his troubles after an arm was robustly thrown into the Ivorian’s face, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic decided the best way to reintroduce himself to John Terry was to put an elbow into his head just moments before putting Laurent Blanc’s team into the lead.
Friendly, indeed.
As in New Jersey on Wednesday, Mourinho’s side were painfully sluggish out of the blocks yet rediscovered some vigor and verve in the second period and were rewarded when Victor Moses equalized on 64 minutes. Thibaut Courtois scored from the spot to seal a 6-5 win in the penalty shootout.
Falcao’s 20 minute appearance, which saw him score his spot-kick, however, was enough to warm the Portuguese and allow him to forget about the stodginess of the opening stages.
“He isn’t as tired as the others, the others have done 10 days. He’s just done two. He has just arrived, trained two days , so he has the sharpness and no fatigue. It was good for him to come in and score in the shootout, “ said Mourinho. On Costa, he added: “Aurier is a person who doesn’t normally play for PSG. He wanted to make a mark but maybe Diego was too soft for him.”
Blanc, meanwhile, refused to confirm a move for Manchester United’s Angel Di Maria had moved towards completion following the Argentinian’s failure to link up with Louis van Gaal’s squad in San Francisco. But he hinted he’s hopeful of signing the winger, who cost the Old Trafford a British record of £59.1m.
“There is lots of talk, but nothing has been confirmed. We are looking for an offensive player. He is a great player and there is a good possibility. Whether it is him or someone else, there is nothing official. There is an anticipation he will come to the US but we don’t know what jersey will he will be wearing, “ said the former French international.
“There are two big clubs in discussion but if he does make a change, hopefully it will be with PSG.
With David Luiz reacquainted once again with the Chelsea team-mates he left last summer for Paris in a fee believed to be touching £50m and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovich also starting, a look at the team sheets ensured this friendly would carry more than its fair share of competitiveness.
Indeed, the healthy crowd in Charlotte didn’t have to wait long for a spark.
Just 41 seconds were on the clock when Costa made his mark, a robust challenge angering full-back Aurier. Pushing and shoving ensued.
The lively nature of the opening stages, however, continued. Moses buzzed about with intent, while Cesc Fabregas relished a forward role tucked just behind Costa.
Yet the French champions, who knocked the Stamford Bridge side out of the Champions League last season, were proving resolute and problematic to break down on what was a sultry, humid North Carolina afternoon.
And it was that man Ibrahimovic, the redoubtable Swede who gave PSG the lead. Two minutes earlier a nasty, premeditated elbow landed on Terry’s head. The two have previous after the Swede was sent off in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with , much to the Swede’s chagrin, Terry leading the complaints to the officials.
How the 33 year-old loved hitting the English where it hurts once more.
Chelsea’s defending had been woeful in the defeat to New York Red Bulls last Wednesday and despite Mourinho’s silent treatment in the aftermath, it was no better here.
A poor headed clearance from Branislav Ivanovic fell to John Obi Mikel yet the Nigerian was easily dispossessed by Jean-Kevin Augustin. His shot crashed against the post, but Ibrahimovic was on hand to sweep home past Asmir Begovic, the new Cheslea keeper who endured the rudest of awakenings in New York.
This time Begovic, making his full debut, could not be faulted. Mourinho, however, would have been unhappy with the sloppiness which preceded the opener.
Costa forced Kevin Trapp to deflect a close-range effort on to the bar, yet the Premier League champions lacked fluency and cohesion and could have fallen even further behind, Begovic showing his worth with a fine save from Lucas Moura on 31 minutes.
Chelsea were firmly on the rack. A succession of desperate attempts to clear their lines had Mourinho jumping up and down on the touchline with increasing fervor.
Courtois replaced Begovic at half-time while Kurt Zouma was introduced for Gary Cahill. Ramires, on for Mikel, also was afforded 45 minutes.
Costa though continued to ruffle Parisian feathers. His pugnacious, rampaging style really does upset defenders. Aurier was again involved and this time he earned a booking for his efforts after crudely kicking the Brazilian-born Spanish international.
Fabregas spurned a great chance on the hour mark but he turned provider on 64 minutes, his super center calmly tucked in by Moses.
A raft of substitutions arrived on 69 minutes, the most notable of which being Falcao, who replaced his former Atletico Madrid team-mate Costa to warm applause from the massed Chelsea hordes.
The Colombian looked sharp, the movement – which Mourinho lauded earlier in the week – intelligent and forceful. His introduction certainly increased the tempo, with the West London side showing the kind of urgency in the remaining 20 minutes which was not evident during the first half.
Chelsea’s final match of this North American tour takes place in Washington DC on Tuesday, where Barcelona will be the opponents. That should be similarly feisty.
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