EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Fabian Ruiz scored twice, Ousmane Dembele tallied a goal and an assist and Paris Saint-Germain eliminated Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe from the FIFA Club World Cup by sailing to a 4-0 semifinal win on Wednesday.
Paris Saint-Germain will face Chelsea on Sunday in the final. Chelsea won the title in 2021, while PSG will try to become the first team from France to capture the trophy. The European champions are also one win away from their second major trophy in six weeks.
PSG built a 3-0 lead in 24 minutes, deflating the heavily pro-Madrid crowd. Goncalo Ramos, who subbed on for Dembele early in the second half, added a goal for good measure in the 87th minute.
Gianluigi Donnarumma parried one early shot by Mbappe and finished with two saves, but the PSG defense was otherwise unbothered en route to their fifth clean sheet in six tournament matches.
Wednesday marked Mbappe’s first time facing PSG, for whom he scored 256 goals over seven years before joining Madrid a year ago. After coming on as a substitute the past two matches, Mbappe started up front alongside Gonzalo Garcia, but was held off the scoresheet.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was out of Real Madrid’s squad, reportedly due to a training injury.
Real Madrid, who have won a record five Club World Cups, crashed out of the tournament after winning their previous four games by a combined 10-3.
PSG’s attack wasted no time, forcing Thibaut Courtois to make two difficult saves during the first five minutes. But in the sixth, Dembele robbed Raul Asencio of the ball in the center of the box, tapped it away from Courtois’ diving reach and set up Ruiz for a one-timer into the back of the net.
Dembele made Madrid pay again when he closed in on Antonio Ruediger, who proceeded to whiff on a pass attempt in the defensive half. Dembele bolted away and beat Courtois in the bottom left corner for a 2-0 lead less than nine minutes in.
After Mbappe’s third shot of the day was blocked, PSG ran out on a clinical counterattack. Achraf Hakimi sprung free down the right side on a give-and-go with Dembele, and Hakimi’s cross set up Ruiz’s second goal in the 24th minute.
Real Madrid fared better early in the second half, but it didn’t translate into scoring chances. They finished the match with less than 32 percent of the total possession.
They subbed on 39-year-old legend Luka Modric in the 64th minute in what was likely his final appearance for Real Madrid, where he has played since 2012.
Bradley Barcola assisted Ramos on PSG’s fourth goal after pulling off a nice spin move in the box, which soon opened a passing lane to feed Ramos for a right-footed strike.
–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media
