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MOTD- Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Brest

By on May 18, 2013

David Beckham ended his professional career with a vintage performance against Brest, in a match that was played more like a testimonial than a league match. Beckham didn’t have to wait long to have a good start to the final match of his career, and Paris Saint-Germain went up within four minutes of kick-off. Clement Chantome played it to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who’s brilliant first-touch cut took him past his marker, before the Swede slammed a low shot to past Brest goalkeeper Alexis Thebaux into the far corner of the net from a tight angle on the right side of the box. Brest were stunned after going behind so early, and it took a brilliant burst off his line for Thebaux to intercept Beckham’s classic long ball over the top for Ibrahimovic. Although Brest Kamel Chafni forced PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Siriguto tip his fierce volley from thirty-yards away, PSG unsurprisingly doubled their lead in the thirty-first minute when Beckham’s corner found Blaise Matuidi, who had died his hair the PSG colors in celebration of the French side winning the league title, at the front post. The Frenchman mishit his first-time half-volley, but it still managed to bounce off the ground and squeeze it’s way into the top corner of the net.

In the thirty-fifth minute Beckham was given a perfect opportunity to score a classic goal when Mario Licka conceded a foul in Beckham-free-kick range, but instead, Ibrahimovic stepped up to take the kick. The PSG No. 10 beautifully curled the free-kick from the left towards the top corner of the net, and while Thebaux should have saved, he flapped at the shot, allowing it to curl into the back of the net. Ibra should have had his hat-trick in the forty-second minute, but could only volley wide from the edge of the box after beating two Brest defenders. The Swede could not earn a first half-hat-trick though, and the first half ended 3-0.

Kevin Gameiro came close to giving PSG a fourth in the fifty-seventh minute, but his diving header from Beckham’s magnificent cross from the right whizzed wide of the post from the edge of the box. In the sixty-first minute Gameiro was put slipped through into a one-on-one position with Thebaux, and the forward’s low shot was expertly saved by the legs of the goalkeeper. Brest were given the pride of scoring a constellation goal in the eighty-first minute when the midfielder was slipped in on goal, before firing a low shot past substitute goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. Beckham was subbed seconds later, and after emotionally applauding the crowd and hugging his teammates (and opponents) he walked of the pitch for most likely the last time. The final ten minutes of the match was played in a celebratory mood, and the match finished 3-1 after three minutes of added time.
Man of the Match: David Beckham (Zlatan Ibrahimovic really)

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.