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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 23: Achraf Hakimi #2 of Paris Saint-Germain is challenged by sea14 during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group B match between Seattle Sounders FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Lumen Field on June 23, 2025 in Seattle, Washing (Steph Chambers / FIFA / Getty Images)
SEATTLE - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi each scored goals as UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain beat the Seattle Sounders 2-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup on Monday afternoon.
In easily the highest-profile match the Sounders have ever played in, their European counterparts clearly showed their class. Paris dominated possession throughout the contest, out-shot Seattle by a 15-7 margin, and got seven shots on goal to none for the Sounders.
Stefan Frei delivered five saves for the Sounders – including a trio on PSG phenom Désiré Doué – but Paris rebounded from a stunning defeat at the hands of Botafogo on Thursday night to get the victory they needed to advance to knockout play.
Kvaratskhelia scored in the 35th minute, and Hakimi added on in the 66th for PSG. Given that PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final less than a month ago, it still felt like a pretty respectable showing for the Sounders.
Seattle had a few good looks over the 90 minutes, but couldn't get any of their opportunities on frame. The Sounders controlled the early play as PSG got off to a rather sleepy start. Obed Vargas had a shot attempt from deep in the third minute, and Jackson Ragen had a header wide of goal in the 10th minute.
But after the early surge, Seattle managed just one more shot attempt the rest of the half as the UEFA champions started to lean heavily on the Sounders.
Frei made four saves in the first half for Seattle, including two on Doué.
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 23: Achraf Hakimi #2 of Paris Saint-Germain is challenged by sea14 during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group B match between Seattle Sounders FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Lumen Field on June 23, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / FIFA)
From: Getty Images
Doué delivered a strong strike on a shot in the 12th minute that Frei deflected safely over the goal. Two more quick and easy saves on Kvaratskhelia and Doué followed in quick succession for Seattle before they got their best look of the half.
In the 19th minute, Paul Rothrock pressured goaltender Gianluigi Donnarumma into a giveaway directly to Jesus Ferreira way off the goal line. With only a lone defender protecting the goal, Ferrira's blast was wildly off-target as PSG survived the error.
Doué created another great chance with a crossover dribble on Nouhou Tolo and a quick touch with Senny Mayulu setting up a Doué strike saved by Frei.
All three shots from Doué were more dangerous than the shot that actually found the back of the Sounders' net. In the 35th minute, Vitinha's shot from outside the box was sailing wide of the goal only to deflect off Kvaratskhelia and carom by Frei into the net.
PSG out-shot Seattle 10-3 overall with a 5-0 edge in shots on goal and took a 1-0 lead into the break.
The pressure continued after half as Doué had another chance blocked by Nouhou, and João Neves had a finish chance off of a cross redirected wide in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
A terrific through ball from Cristian Roldan sprung Vargas into the Paris box, but he lost possession trying to cross over for a chance. PSG quickly pounced on a counterattack as Bradley Barcola's pass across the box found a wide open Hakimi for a finish past Frei for a 2-0 Paris Saint-Germain lead.
Jordan Morris entered as a substitute in the 87th minute and quickly got a dangerous chance that was deflected away for a corner kick. Morris has been out since April 26th with a hamstring injury that has wiped out most of his season.
Roldan had a chance in the 89th minute from outside the box that scared the back post only to sail wide, and Georgi Minoungou went down on the edge of the box trying to split a pair of defenders as Seattle pushed late.
Paris finished the contest with a 72-28 advantage in possession as they were able to keep the Sounders at arm's length most of the afternoon.
PSG and Botafogo were the two teams to advance out of the group as Atlético Madrid's 1-0 win over Botafogo on Monday wasn't enough to claim the tiebreaker on goal differential.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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