PSG ease to 3-0 win over Sydney

Kylian Mbappe was the star of the show once more for Paris Saint-Germain, scoring an eye-catching first goal as the French champions beat Sydney FC 3-0 yesterday in China. Strike partner Edinson Cavani also scored in the first half before substitute Metehan Guclu netted with a clever flick a minute from time in sweltering Suzhou. In the absence of Neymar, the Brazilian who is still working his way back to full fitness, the French starlet Mbappe was the focus of attention.

There was a buzz of anticipation each time the 20-year-old prodigy received the ball. Julian Draxler, the German midfielder, told AFP on Monday that the attacking trio of Mbappe, Cavani and Neymar -- who wants to leave the club -- had “egos”. Two of those egos collided when Mbappe and Cavani got in one another’s way, squandering their side’s first chance. An inquest ensued. Playing in fluorescent orange, the Parisians, who earlier in the day announced the signing of Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye, lay siege to the Sydney goal.

Moments after the Australians had a goal ruled out for off-side, World Cup winner Mbappe exchanged passes with Juan Bernat before firing beyond goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne on 37 minutes. Six minutes later it was 2-0, Cavani hooking the ball in after Redmayne parried. The floppy-haired Uruguayan and Mbappe were subbed at the break as coach Thomas Tuchel changed all his outfield players.

‘Make sacrifices’

Tuchel warned his side that they must pull together and “make sacrifices” after the match. Tuchel is under pressure to take PSG deep into the Champions League in the forthcoming season, while successfully defending their Ligue 1 title is almost a formality. Tuchel was not forthcoming on the future of Neymar, saying he had “no news”, after the Brazilian made it clear that he wants to return to Barcelona.

“For me, he’s our player... it (his future) is a question between him and the club,” was all Tuchel would say. But he was forthright about what he wants from his star-studded squad, which earlier in the day was embellished by the arrival of Gueye. With PSG playing Rennes in the domestic Trophee des Champions on Saturday in Shenzhen, Tuchel said: “We have to be ready, there are still a lot of things to improve.

“It’s a question of team effort, the intensity that we are willing to give, the closeness that we play all together against the ball, the sacrifices that we are willing to make. “If we are willing to make sacrifices, if we are willing to go over all obstacles, then for sure we are ready. “But if we have big spaces, if we don’t all play together, for sure we will not be ready.”