MUNICH: Teenager Desire Doue scored twice to inspire Paris St Germain to their first European Cup triumph with a crushing 5-0 victory over Inter Milan on Saturday (May 31), the biggest winning margin in the final of the continent’s premier club competition.
After losing the 2020 final to Bayern Munich, Luis Enrique’s PSG side, who teetered on the brink of elimination in the league phase, finally claimed the trophy their Qatari owners have craved since taking over the French capital club in 2011.
PSG’s young team achieved what the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could not do in their colours as they became only the second French side to win the trophy after Olympique de Marseille in 1993.
“Making history was a goal from the start of last season,” Luis Enrique said.
“I really felt a connection with the players and the fans, a very strong connection that we saw throughout the season. We were able to handle the tension and excitement in the best possible way.”
PSG put on a masterclass which the more experienced Inter team had no answer to, scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes through former Inter defender Achraf Hakimi and Doue.
The 19-year-old Doue was on target again in the 63rd minute, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored 10 minutes later and substitute Senny Mayulu netted three minutes from time to complete the rout in Munich.
Before kickoff the Italian fans sang “There’s Only Inter”, the club’s anthem, but on the pitch their side went missing and PSG ran riot to secure a richly deserved win.
PSG bossed the game from the start, maintaining possession with their slick passing, every player constantly searching for an opening, which they found in the 12th minute when Vitinha played a pass into Doue in the box.
Inter defenders appealed for offside but Federico Dimarco played the PSG man onside and the youngster kept his cool to roll the ball across goal and hand Hakimi the simplest of tap-ins.
“We have made history, we have written our names in the history of this club,” Hakimi said.
“For a long time this club deserved it, we are very happy. We have created a great family.”
The second came eight minutes later from a quick PSG counter which found Ousmane Dembele on the left wing.
Dembele drove forward before floating the ball to the far side and Doue had time to control the ball on his chest and his shot took a deflection off Dimarco to beat the wrong-footed Yann Sommer.
