Bayern ace PSG in International Champions Cup
Martinez, Sanches and youngster Zirkzee on target for Bundesliga champions
German champions Bayern Munich hit three secondhalf goals as they beat French titlists Paris Saint-Germain, 3-1, on Saturday in their International Champions Cup clash in Klagenfurt, Austria.
PSG were without their World Cup winners, but they did start Adrien Rabiot, who refused to serve as a reserve for the French squad. Bayern were without their legion of German internationals, despite the national team’s early exit in Russia.
PSG had the best of the first half and took the lead with a 31st minute goal by American Timothy Weah, the 18-year-old son of African legend George Weah.
Bayern dominated the second half and struck three times in 18 minutes.
Spaniard Javier Martinez opened the scoring past Gianluigi Buffon, the Italian veteran who joined PSG this summer.
Portuguese midfielder Renato Sanches and 17-year-old Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee added the other two, after Buffon had gone off.
Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac praised Sanches’ performance in the 3-1 comeback.
“I’m pleased for Renato who hasn’t had an easy time here in Munich,” he said. “But I saw immediately, on my first day, he’s got a great body language. He’s a top-quality player and I notice him unfreezing a little,” he said.
“If he has the necessary selfconfidence, he knows what he is capable of. When you give him the necessary self-confidence and recognition, then you can always perform well and his free kick was exceptional.
“We practised free kicks in our final training yesterday and all of his went in and he also managed it today.”
Tactical switch
Kovac was upbeat about the performance.
“I think the game fulfilled its purpose,” he said. “After three weeks, we had our first test against a very good team, especially in the first half. But I think my team played very well over the 90 minutes.
“We made a few adjustments in the dressing room at halftime, modifying our tactics and didn’t allow PSG so much space than we did in the first half.
“Everyone did their job extraordinarily well, especially the younger players from the Under-19s and Under-23s performed well. Compliments to them.”