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ICC 2017: Claudio Marchisio brace leads Juventus to beat PSG

A game which took some time to get going, but once it did, there was no dearth of goals!

ICC 2017: Claudio Marchisio brace leads Juventus to beat PSG

Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio scores the winner (Photo: AFP)

Claudio Marchisio’s second-half brace was enough to see Juventus past Paris Saint-Germain at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with the Bianconeri running out 3-2 winners in a pulsating International Champions Cup tie on Thursday. 

Both sides came into Thursday’s game off the back of losses, with Juventus going down to Barcelona while PSG were thumped by Tottenham Hotspur and their managers sent out strong starting XIs, with almost all their big names featuring. 

Les Parisiens’ reported €222 million bid for Barcelona star Neymar has been dominating headlines but their coach, Unai Emery,  showcased the considerable talent that is already at his disposal by starting Edinson Cavani, Lucas Moura and Angel di Maria up top. 

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Juventus had their own share South American flair in attack, with Argentine duo Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain leading the line for the Serie A giants. 

Despite both sides having plenty of firepower, it took a while before the first real chance of the tie came about. Juan Cuadrado let loose from distance but a sprawling Alphonse Areola made a superb save to deny the Colombian winger. 

Higuain, who had been quiet for the most part, finally got the breakthrough with a quick fire link-up with Paulo Dybala which split the PSG defence open before calmly dinking the ball over an oncoming Areola in the 45th minute. 

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri made 10 changes at half-time, with Gianluigi Buffon the sole survivor and Emery made eight substitutions in a bid to liven up proceedings. 

It didn't take long for PSG to get back in the game, with di Maria weaving past Juventus defenders in the box before toe-poking the ball across goal for Portuguese forward Goncalo Guedes to tap in with less than eight minutes of second-half play on the clock.

Mirajlem Pjanic tried to respond for Juventus with a dipping free-kick on the hour-mark, but Areloa was equal to the task. However, the Bianconeri weren't to be denied for long and Marchisio gave his manager a timely reminder of his qualities with a booming shot from his weaker foot in the 62nd minute. 
PSG, for the second time in the match, found an equaliser, with Javier Pastore heading home with 10 minutes remaining after some good work from Layvin Kurzawa on the left wing.

The French side had the momentum and surged forward in search of a winner but it was Juventus who would have the last laugh, thanks to their 17-year-old starlet, Moise Kean. 

After his introduction at the interval, the young Italian had been bright, assisting Marchisio for the second goal earlier and as he shaped to shoot, was brought down by Presnel Kimpembe inside the box. 

Marchisio stepped up to take the penalty and the midfielder made no mistake to score the winner, opting to go down the middle with Remy Deschamps already committed to his left. 

Juventus next face fellow Italian side Roma on Sunday night before taking on Tottenham Hotspur on August 5 while PSG face AS Monaco in the Trophee des Champions on Sunday.

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