Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took centre stage on Thursday evening, as French champions Paris Saint-Germain served up a goal fest in a meeting with a selection of Saudi Pro League stars.
In a fixture widely billed as the final opportunity to watch the two greatest players of a generation face off on the pitch for the final time, Messi and Ronaldo, almost inevitably, provided fans across the globe with their money’s worth.
The former opened the scoring in proceedings, sliding home a nonchalant finish with just three minutes on the clock:
Messi tucks it home on his first shot of the game and PSG strikes first in just the 3rd minute! 🇦🇷🐐
(Via @beINSPORTSUSA)
pic.twitter.com/yVZsjZTXiA— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 19, 2023
The ‘All Stars’ from Al Nassr and Al Hilal were soon back on level terms, though, when Ronaldo stepped up to convert from the penalty spot:
Who else but Ronaldo from the spot!
Cristiano equalizes it for the Riyadh All-Stars at 1-1 👏🇵🇹
(Via @beINSPORTSUSA) pic.twitter.com/XDboQZaeDu
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 19, 2023
After a chaotic ten-minute spell culminated in all of Juan Bernat being dismissed, Neymar fluffing his lines from the penalty spot and Marquinhos putting PSG back in front, Ronaldo then drove home his 2nd of the clash on the rebound, on the stroke of the interval:
A second chance shot leads to Cristiano Ronaldo’s second goal of the match 🇵🇹
His brace levels this game yet again at 2-2 ⚔️
(Via @beINSPORTSUSA) pic.twitter.com/4Mll5iYL0f
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 19, 2023
After all of Sergio Ramos, Hyun-soo Jang and Kylian Mbappe exchanged further goals early in the 2nd-half, both Messi and Ronaldo (en route to Man of the Match honours), along with a host of other stars, were subsequently hooked from the action on the hour mark.
📸 – Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo during what could be their final game against each other. pic.twitter.com/m4SRkbYM7G
— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) January 19, 2023
This came as substitute Hugo Ekitike put PSG two goals to the good a little over ten minutes from time, before Anderson Talisca put the finishing touches on a remarkable evening of football with the game’s ninth and final goal deep into injury time.
Mbappé’s happiness is so contagious 🥹😊
(Via @beINSPORTSUSA) pic.twitter.com/g0vtmkXtB2
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 19, 2023
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