GUINGAMP, FRANCE: Declaring he was “more alive than ever,” Neymar did not disappoint on his debut for Paris Saint-Germain.
The world’s most expensive player provided a pulsating evening’s entertainment at the Stade du Roudourou on Sunday, with one goal and an assist, as PSG overcame strong resistance from Guingamp to win 3-0 in the French league.
Neymar was named man of the match, and it was deserved.
“I’m very happy with the trophy (man of the match), but the most important (thing) was to win,” Neymar said through a translator. “I knew it would be difficult to leave Barca, but I’m very happy to be here. People believe that leaving Barca is like to die. But I’m more alive than ever. I’m very happy, and the football is the same.”
Neymar, who signed from Barcelona last week, missed the start of the season at the Parc des Princes against Amiens due to paperwork problems. Hired for a world-record 222 million euros ($262 million), he started on the left wing of PSG’s attack in the small Brittany town.
Neymar looked intensely focused from the start, easily switching from one wing to the other, and often taking a playmaker role.
Pre-match festivities in the small Brittany town included some fireworks, but Neymar was jeered by a handful of fans as he came on the pitch to warm up with his teammates, pointing a finger toward the sky. By the end, many local fans gave him a standing ovation.
Neymar’s first touch in the French league was a long ball for Angel Di Maria that landed on the edge of the box, but the Argentine player could not latch onto it.
Neymar’s vision, acceleration and through balls in a weaker league than Spain’s unsettled Guingamp’s back four, and his trademark dribbles were also on display at the Roudourou. Midfielder Lucas Deaux will be remembered as the first French league player to be nutmegged by the former Barcelona star.
Encouragingly for PSG, Neymar has already gelled with Cavani, with both players finding each other instinctively despite the lack of space in the Guingamp box.
The big question that immediately emerged when Neymar signed with PSG was how he could fit into coach Unai Emery’s system. Neymar proved he can play well with the Uruguay forward, especially if Emery continues to use Cavani in a central position.
“I knew he was a top player,” Neymar said about Cavani. “Now I’m playing with him. He is a great player, and when you have such great players in a team, it’s easy.”
Neymar said it was easy to fit into the team.
“You may not believe it, but in the friendlies that Barcelona was playing in the beginning of the season I was already playing in that position, more on the inside and sometimes on the flanks. Our coach likes us to float around in the middle, he left me very comfortable. I am feeling very well.”
Neymar completed 103 passes, one of which set up Cavani in the 62nd minute, as his teammate scored his 90th goal in 135 topflight matches. Cavani then turned provider to set up Neymar with a cut-back pass that the Brazil captain converted from close range with a poke in the 82nd minute.
“I was more impressed by Cavani, who scored again,” said Guingamp veteran striker Jimmy Briand. “Neymar, there is no need to introduce him anymore. We knew he was going to be a big threat.”
On a sleepy summer Sunday, the atmosphere slowly built in the small town of Guingamp, though most of the streets were still empty mid-afternoon.
Fans later gathered for pre-match drinks at a downtown bar, “Le panier a salade (The salad shaker),” where walls are adorned with autographed jerseys from Guingamp players.
Some PSG fans mingled with home supporters in a friendly atmosphere.
“It’s magic to see Neymar at the Roudourou stadium,” said Florian Nicolas, a 30-year-old PSG fan who settled in Brittany five years ago. “This match will be watched worldwide.”
A town of 7,000 inhabitants known for its local galette-Saucisse treat — a sausage rolled in a crepe — Guingamp is also football-crazy and has witnessed the emergence of world-class players including the likes of Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda in the early 2000s. A club-record 18,378 fans watched Sunday’s game.
Neymar shines on PSG debut, says he’s ‘more alive than ever’
Neymar shines on PSG debut, says he’s ‘more alive than ever’
Al-Ittihad slump to fourth defeat of season in home loss to Al-Ettifaq
- Visitors’ Khalid Al-Ghannam scores only goal of the game as the reigning Saudi Pro League champs drop more points after drawing with Damac on Tuesday
- Earlier, Al-Fateh’s five-game winning streak ends with 1-1 draw against Al-Najma, and Al-Khaleej enjoy comfortable 4-1 victory over Al-Okhdood
RIYADH: Al-Ittihad’s disappointing defense of their Saudi Pro League title continued on Friday with a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Al-Ettifaq.
Khalid Al-Ghannam scored the decisive goal for the visitors as the hosts dropped more points after their draw with Damac on Tuesday.
In the absence of Fabinho, who was suspended after being sent off late in Tuesday’s match, Mahamadou Doumbia partnered with N’golo Kante in midfield for Al-Ittihad. The Malian showed his composure early on when he shielded the ball under pressure before unleashing a long-range shot in the 10th minute, but it was comfortably saved by Marek Rodak.
The deployment of Al-Ghannam proved pivotal, as he repeatedly tested the hosts. In the 23rd minute he burst down the left flank, beating three defenders with some clever dribbling before testing Predrag Rajkovic in goal, who parried the effort.
Al-Ghannam bothered the defense again just minutes later, threatening the Serbian goalkeeper with another attempt from a similar position. However, the game remained goalless at halftime.
The second half began with Al-Ittihad on the front foot. Within minutes, Roger Fernandes found himself in front of goal and put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Al-Ghannam’s effort and influence eventually paid off for the visitors in the 54th minute. Operating as a left-sided striker during an Al-Ettifaq counterattack, he cut inside to curl a powerful shot into the far corner.
Al-Ittihad’s attacking approach varied as they fought to get back into the game, with Fernandes patrolling the left flank, Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti cutting inside near the byline, and central contributions from the combination of Doumbia and Steven Bergwijn. But the Al-Ettifaq defense remained resolute.
Danilo Pereira, pushing up into an advanced midfield position as Al-Ittihad forced Al-Ettifaq to defend deep, unleashed a long shot in the 67th minute, urged on by the home fans, but his effort went wide.
With time running out, Sergio Conceicao made four substitutions in the space of seven minutes, bringing on Ahmed Al-Julaydan at right-back for his crossing abilities, Abdulaziz Al-Bishi and Ahmed Al-Ghamdi to play between the lines, and Saleh Al-Shehri for added impetus up front.
Despite several chances, Al-Ittihad were unable to grab the equalizer, and in the 85th minute things got even worse for them. Keeper Rajkovic tripped on his way to confront a Mohau Nkota counterattack and stuck out his hand at the edge of the box to push the ball away. A review by the video assistant referee ruled he had handled the ball outside the box and he was shown the red card.
After seven minutes of added time, and one final attempt by Doumbia to salvage something for the hosts through a free-kick, the referee blew the final whistle.
It was the fourth defeat of the season for Al-Ittihad and means they remain in sixth place in the table, three behind Al-Qadsiah who have a game in hand. Al-Ettifaq are seventh, just two points behind the defending champions.
Earlier, Al-Fateh’s five-game winning streak came to an end when they returned from a trip to Qassim to face Al-Najma with only a point. The visitors took the lead in the 12th minute but a goal for the home side by Ali Jasim in the 75th denied them all three points as the game ended 1-1.
In the Eastern Province, Greek duo Giorgos Masouras and Kostas Fortounis proved the main inspirations for Al-Khaleej in a 4-1 victory over Al-Okhdood that temporarily lifted them into seventh place in the table, until Al-Ettifaq reclaimed the spot.
On Saturday, Al-Fayha face Damac, Al-Kholood take on fourth-place Al-Ahli, and second-place Al-Nassr are in action against Al-Shabab.
