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Di Maria inspires PSG to first Champions League final

Bernat,Poulsen,,Angel Di Maria,Neymar,Champions League,RB Leipzig,PSG,Marquinhos,

Photo: Angel Di Maria and Neymar celebrate after Di Maria put PSG 2-0 ahead in the Champions League semifinal againt RB Leipzig. PSG went on to win the match 3-0. (Getty Images)

 

 

 

 

Angel Di Maria turned in an inspired performance to lead Paris St. Germain to their first UEFA Champions League final when they easily disposed of RB Leipzig 3-0 in the semifinal on Tuesday.

Di Maria assisted two and scored one as the League 1 Champions sauntered passed their German opponents, who were in their first ever semifinal.

Like he did in the semifinal, Marquinhos scored the first goal for PSG. Di Maria got the second late in the first half, before Bernat completed the scoring early in the second for the Parisians.

Neymar was again the focal point for PSG at the start of the game and he hit the outside of the far post when he shot across goal from 7 yards from the left, in the 6th min.

A minute late Kylian Mbappe put the ball in the back of the net but, the goal was disallowed for handball on Neymar in the buildup.

RB Leipzig had barely had a kick of the ball in the game and they were behind when Marquinhos headed a delicate DiMaria free kick that was floated into the box from the left side to break the deadlock in the 13th minute.

A quick Leipzig counter attack down the right flank resulted in a shot from Poulsen, but it went into the side netting. It would prove to be the best move for Leipzig in the half.

Neymar again came close when he hit the outside of the base of the post with a free kick from distance, as he cheekily tried to beat Peter Gulacsi who was cheating to the far side.

Two minutes from the break a neat flick from Neymar to Di Maria set up the Argentine who slotted home from 10 yards to make it 2-0 after a bad clearance from Gulacsi.

Neymar was again unlucky on the stroke of half time when another effort went inches wide from 9 yards from an inch perfect Mbappe cross.

There was not much from Leipzig as an attacking force in the first half

The Germans took to the field a more purposeful team in the second half after making two changes, enjoying their best spell of possession in the game.

Emil Forsberg with a good bit of individual skill to created space and get off a shot but it was always going high.

PSG then crushed all Leipzig hopes when Bernat headed home from a Di Maria cross to makes it 3-0 in the 56th minute despite the protests for a foul on a play before that, by the Leipzig players.

Di Maria continued to influence the game and should have had another assist following another great cross into the box, but Mbappe failed to make proper contact close to goal.

Neymar got one final chance to score but got his feet in a tangle and failed to make proper contact with a cross from Sarabia.

They await the winner of semifinal two between heavy favourites Bayern Munich and Lyon.

 

 

 

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