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Bayern Munich Beat Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, PSG in 2020 Champions League Final
August 23, 2020
Bayern Munich are European champions once again after a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League Final.
After nearly an hour of scoreless play, Kingsley Coman came through for the Bundesliga champs with the go-ahead header in the 59th minute:
Neymar and the PSG attack had several chances at an equalizer but were unable to get onto the scoresheet.
There were no fans at the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in Portugal due to the coronavirus pandemic, which had caused the entire tournament to be delayed and reformatted with single-legged rounds. It didn't seem to matter to Bayern Munich, who completed a dominant run through the event to earn its sixth title and first since 2013.
They also join Barcelona as the only team to win the treble twice.
Bayern had appeared invincible for much of the 2019-20 season, and especially in Champions League play. The club won all six group-stage matches and cruised through the knockout stage with one-sided victories over Chelsea, Barcelona and Lyon, outscoring the three teams 18-3.
Paris Saint-Germain narrowly advanced with close wins over Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta before earning a 3-0 win over RB Leipzig in the semifinals.
The championship would still be decided on the pitch with both sides entering with loads of talent.
The attacking ability was on display in the first half even though there were no goals, with Robert Lewandowski having several close chances:
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe each had their opportunities as well:
Perhaps the biggest story of the first half was a no-call just before intermission, with Bayern potentially deserving a penalty:
The play was ruled clean, and the teams went into the dressing rooms tied at 0-0.
In the second half, it appeared PSG would be the team to finally break the scoreless draw with several good chances in the final third. However, Bayern Munich finally found the back of the net in the 59th minute.
Joshua Kimmich set up a perfect cross to the back post, where Kingsley Coman was there to head it in:
Bayern kept the pressure on after the goal, preventing the French opponent from many chances.
When Paris Saint-Germain did get shots on net, Manuel Neuer was there for some big-time saves.
With just 38 percent possession in the match, the scoring opportunities were limited for PSG, and they were unable to break through with a goal.
It will be a short turnaround for each club before starting their respective 2020-21 league seasons, but Bayern Munich will get a chance to celebrate an impressive accomplishment to complete the 2019-20 campaign.