PSG wins Trophee des Champions
First half goals to Kang-In Lee and Kylian Mbappe lifted defending Ligue 1 champion PSG to a 2-0 win over defending Coupe de France champion Toulouse FC in the annual season curtain-raiser - this season moved to a calendar year curtain-raiser - the Trophee des Champions.
PSG headed into the showpiece as the firm favourite to claim more silverware and it was ahead after just three minutes through Lee Kang-in.
Mbappe doubled his side’s advantage shortly before the interval with his 111th home strike for PSG as Luis Enrique landed his first trophy for the French side.
Ousmane Dembele returned for PSG following their 3-1 win against Metz a fortnight ago, while Toulouse made two changes with Vincent Sierro and Moussa Diarra back in the starting line-up.
Toulouse, who have found the going tough under new manager Carles Martinez Novell on the domestic front – with just two league wins this season – were making their first appearance at this stage of the competition since 1957 after thrashing Nantes to win the Coupe de France.
But they were a goal down with just two minutes and 35 seconds on the clock.
Vitinha’s superb crossfield ball was volleyed back across the face of goal by Dembele with an unmarked Lee making no mistake from close range.
PSG were on the front foot and in control, but Toulouse almost netted an equaliser when Gabriel Suazo struck the sidenetting with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.
With 10 minutes of the opening period remaining, Lee nearly had his second of the night when he unleashed an overhead kick, only to be gobbled up by Guillaume Restes, before Toulouse suddenly threatened again as Thijs Dallinga’s snapshot was tipped on to the post by Donnarumma.
But the home side did double their advantage before the interval following a moment of magic from Mbappe.
The France international collected the ball 25 yards from goal before dribbling away from a handful of Toulouse defenders and firing the ball into the far corner to surpass Edinson Cavani as PSG’s sharpest shooter at the Parc des Princes.
Mbappe’s masterclass left Toulouse with a mountain to climb in the second half and, despite an impressive start after the interval, PSG nearly had a third when Achraf Hakimi’s free-kick struck the woodwork.
Brazilian defender Lucas Beraldo was handed his debut in the second half and, while Toulouse refused to give up, they never looked like threatening PSG as Enrique’s men cruised to a record-extending 12th triumph – and their 10th in the past 11 years.
