Neymar scores brace as PSG end preseason with win in Korea

Football

Published: 03 Aug. 2023, 19:15 Updated: 03 Aug. 2023, 19:19

Neymar scores brace as PSG end preseason with win in Korea

Lee Kang-in, left, congratulates Neymar after the Brazilian forward scored Paris Saint-Germain's second goal in a game against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan on Thursday. [NEWS1]

Neymar scored a brace to lead Paris Saint-Germain to a 3-0 win over Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Thursday, giving the French club the first win of their preseason tour just hours before they’re set to fly back to Paris.

Recent signee Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in, the star of the show for the 43,000 fans packing the stadium in temperatures nearing 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) played the final 20 minutes of the game as he recovers from an injury sustained earlier in the tour.

It was a mixed crowd in Busan, with a loud Jeonbuk Ultras section behind one goal and a lot of PSG shirts peppering the rest of the crowd. One side stayed half empty for the first half, not because turnout was especially low, but because the crowd was hiding under the overhang to avoid the sun.

PSG started Neymar for the first time since the Brazilian superstar was sidelined with an injury in February, leaving new Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in on the bench. Kylian Mbappe was out of the squad, but his younger brother Ethan Mbappe got a start in the midfield.

Not overly surprisingly, it was Jeonbuk, currently in the middle of their K League season, that stole the momentum early on, repeatedly capitalizing on quick breakaways to drive up the field and try their luck — although those attacks often lost momentum when they got close to goal.

Jeonbuk’s Rafael Silva had a few good attempts on target in the first half, providing a few near misses after making short work of the PSG defense.

But it was at the other end of the pitch where the excitement eventually happened, with Neymar trying a number of shots on goal before eventually poking through a shot in the box that deflected off a defender and the post to give PSG the lead in the 39th minute.

Still holding on to that 1-0 lead after the break, PSG opted to keep Neymar on the pitch with Lee still on the bench. Jeonbuk, meanwhile, changed their entire squad, bringing on former Barcelona prospect Paik Seung-ho to loud cheers from the crowd.

PSG finally made some changes in the 61st minute, bringing on five new players including Marquinos and adding Lee to the mix a few minutes later.

Lee’s arrival on the pitch was met with loud cheers — as his every appearance on camera had been throughout the game — but he was kept fairly quiet for the final 20 minutes.

Neymar, on the other hand, came back with his second goal of the match in the 82nd minute, breaking out in front on a quick counter attack that followed what the Jeonbuk players felt was a foul on Lee Dong-jun in the box at the other end of the pitch.

Neymar proved crucial in PSG’s third goal as well, knocking the ball back to Marco Asensio from deep within the box for the Spaniard to fire around the defense and into the back of the net.

With that goal the game was pretty much over, with PSG taking a comfortable 3-0 win to justify their 30-hour stopover in Korea on the way to Paris. The French club will be back in action next week as Ligue 1 returns, with their opening game against Lorient on Saturday, Aug. 12.

Jeonbuk get less time to rest, as they return to the K League on Sunday for a game against Incheon United at home in Jeonju, North Jeolla.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]