Real Madrid thrashed PSG 4-0 in the Al Kass International Cup yesterday, with Adrian Roman scoring a fine hat-trick.
 When the draw for the group stages was made, this was the match that captured the imagination. Two of world football’s biggest names going head-to-head, with the winners taking a giant step towards the knockout phase. And, from the first whistle, both sides seemed to register what was at stake, with no quarter given as the contest got underway.
After surviving a few early scares Madrid quickly made PSG pay for their profligacy as, on 10 minutes, they took a deserved lead. The impressive Alberto Garcia cut in from the left and supplied Adrian Roman on the edge of the area, who controlled before hammering home into the top left corner.
 The French youngsters were almost back on even terms within minutes, as Theo Epailly’s dangerous low corner from the right was touched on by Metehan Guclu at the near post, almost eluding Pujante, who only just managed to prevent the ball from squirming through his grasp and over the line.
 With 20 minutes gone, the contrasting styles of the two sides were becoming apparent, with Los Blancos relying on guile and technique to retain possession and push forward, while Les Parisians favoured a more direct, high-energy approach.
This approach almost paid off when Boubakary Soumare smashed a low drive from 25 yards out, forcing Pujante to dive low to his left to divert the ball for a corner.
Madrid should have been two up moments later, when a sumptuous through ball from influential midfielder Elliot Lopez found Garcia. He twisted and turned his man on the edge of the area, before rolling his effort beyond the right-hand post when he might have done better.
The Spaniards were by now well on top, and were unlucky not to extend their lead after 25 minutes, when Lopez’s lethal in-swinging corner from the right was met forcefully by captain Adrian Barquilla, whose terrific header slammed against the woodwork and clear.
Despite PSG’s best efforts to put their opponents under pressure, Real’s defence remained resolute, and Paris had Thomas Chesneau to thank for keeping them in the game on 33 minutes, the keeper saving smartly from Lohoba after the forward was set free by Lopez.
Respite would be brief however, as Real doubled their lead four minutes later. Full back Gorka Cudola produced a wonderful chipped pass from the halfway line wide on the right, allowing Lohoba to run clear and fire home.
Within minutes Los Blancos were three goals to the good, with Roman’s first time, side-footed effort finding the bottom right corner after a neat run and cutback from Garcia on the left. Although the smallest player on the pitch, the diminutive striker’s technical mastery was proving too much for the French defence.
Madrid were carving PSG open at will, cancelling out the French side’s attempts to press, and then breaking at speed to wreak havoc in the opposition defence. Les Parisians will have been relieved to hear the half time whistle, and could count themselves lucky to be only three goals down.
 PSG withdrew defender Tom Flamant for Yacine Adli, and the substitution initially helped counter Madrid’s dominance in the centre of the park, as the tall midfielder began to display his impressive range of passing. The Frenchmen began the second period full of intent, with a series of dangerous crosses into the area testing Madrid’s backline.
However, the Spaniards held firm and extended their lead on 54 minutes, after Lopez won the ball on the right before feeding Roman with an impudent back heel, who completed his hat-trick with a minimum of fuss.
To their credit, PSG refused to lie down, and almost found an instant response, with Epailly firing home from the right of the area after latching on to a through ball from Adli, only for the effort to be ruled offside.
 On Friday, a confident and composed Inter Milan side brushed aside Shanghai Greenland in a one-sided game The imperious Italians helped themselves to seven without reply, with the Chinese side unable to manage a single shot on target.
With Inter captain Enrico Celeghin pulling the strings from a deep-lying central midfield position, the Milanese never looked less than comfortable. Still, in the opening stages chances were at a premium, with the Nerazzurri seemingly content to bide their time.
In the 10th minute Shanghai made a rare foray into the Italian half, a strong run from Luo Fan Liu forcing the first corner of the game. It was expertly dealt with by Inter’s assured back line, and a minute later Milan were ahead.
Inter forward Loca Kerin chased a chipped ball through the middle, clipping over the advancing keeper Kai Luan Lin and allowing Zate Gnoukouri to apply the finishing touch from less than a yard out.
Kerin nearly doubled the advantage five minutes later, intercepting a weak pass before shooting narrowly over from outside the area. But the Italians would not have to wait long for a second goal. On 19 minutes a spectacular first-time strike on the half-volley from wide on the left by Marco Sala arced high into the right-hand corner, leaving keeper Lin with no chance. It was only the second goal of Al Kass 2016, but the Inter left-back’s wonder strike is undoubtedly a contender for goal of the tournament.
The Chinese youngsters were struggling to live with the precision passing of an ascendant Inter, with right-sided attacker Gnoukouri proving a constant threat. As the game approached the half-hour mark he bagged a second goal, dribbling into the Blue Devils’ area before slotting a low shot home off the right-hand post.
Five minutes later and Inter were four goals to the good, after the Chinese defence was sliced apart by a series of short passes through the middle before Kerin fired into the roof of the net from 12 yards out.