PSG miss out on first trophy this season after losing to Lille

08/01/2021

Lille 1-0 PSG: Mauricio Pochettino endures a losing start to 2021-22 as the Ligue 1 holders beat his side in the Champions Trophy thanks to a first-half thunderbolt from Xeka

Lille pipped Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title on the final day of the season
PSG knocked Lille out of the Coupe de France last term as they went on to win it
Mauricio Pochettino fielded a relatively experienced team against their rivals
Georginio Wijnaldum came on for his debut as the visitors chased the game
Xeka’s scorcher proved the difference as Mauro Icardi had an effort disallowed

Paris Saint-Germain were thwarted by Lille once more as they came unstuck in the Trophee des Champions.

The game – which is France’s version of the Community Shield – pits the winners of Ligue 1 against the winners of the Coupe de France and was this year being held at the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv.

Mauricio Pochettino were pipped to the title by a point last season, but did not manage to knock their northern adversaries out of the cup in the round of 16.

Lille landed the season’s first psychological blow by winning the Trophee des Champions

Xeka (No 8) wheels away after stunning right-footed strike leaves Keylor Navas with no chance

The midfielder unwound from the edge of the box to send the crowd in Tel Aviv into raptures

Mauricio Pochettino is under pressure after Paris Saint-Germain were again thwarted by Lille

Pochettino named a weakened starting line-up despite the absence of the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, but the former Spurs boss still selected Achraf Hakimi, Ander Herrera and Mauro Icardi from the off.

Lille are under the guidance of former Guingamp boss Jocelyn Gourvennec after Christophe Galtier’s abrupt departure in May following their incredible triumph.

After Julian Draxler and Burak Yilmaz had drawn saves from either keeper, it was the veteran Turk who was involved in the opener, holding off to Thilo Kehrer on the edge of the box before laying the ball off for Portuguese midfielder Xeka to drill a rising strike just beyond Keylor Navas and into the top corner.

Julian Draxler had chances to score as PSG were left to rue their wastefulness in front of goal

Mauro Icardi had a goal ruled and Leo Jardim weathered a late storm as Lille held on for the win

It is the first time Lille have won the Trophee des Champions after losing in 1955 and 2011

MATCH FACTS

Lille (4-4-2): Jardim; Djalo, Fonte, Botman, Reinildo; Araujo (Bradaric 85), Andre, Xeka (Yazici 78), Bamba (Ikone 85); David (Weah 76), Yilmaz.

Subs not used: Pied, Niasse, Lihadji, Raux, Gomes.

Goals: Xeka 45

Yellows: Araujo

Manager: Jocelyn Gourvennec

Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3): Navas; Hakimi, Kehrer, Kimpembe (Kurzawa 82), Diallo; Herrera, Pereira, Ebimbe (Wijnaldum 71); Draxler, Icardi, Kalimuendo (Gharbi 82).

Subs not used: Simons, Michut, Letellier, Bitshiabu, Nagera, Bitumazala.

Yellows: Kehrer, Diallo, Draxler

Pochettino elected to make his first change on 71 minutes as Georginio Wijnaldum was thrown on for his debut in place of youngster Eric Ebimbe.

The Dutchman almost had an immediate impact after slipping a pass through to Mauro Icardi, but the former Inter Milan striker had his bundled finish ruled out for offside, before Draxler volleyed wide after Herrera had stood the ball up to the back post.

A flurry of late changes did not change the outcome, although Danilo Pereira will feel he should have done better when a close-range header was gathered in by Leo Jardim before the keeper charged out in second-half stoppage time after his clearance was charged down by Icardi as PSG piled on the pressure in vain.

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