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Fans have taken to social media to celebrate Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lionel Messi's first victory of the new season. PSG defeated Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 in a pre-season friendly.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner opened the scoring in the first half. Messi struck the ball with his weaker right foot which saw the ball end up in the back of the net via a deflection.
PSG doubled their lead through youngster Arnaud Kalimuendo just before the hour mark.
Kawasaki Frontale, however, did have a decent showing in the game and were rewarded with a goal of their own late in the game. Kazuya Yamamura pulled a goal back for the home side with six minutes remaining in the game.
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Christophe Galtier's side, however, held on to record a narrow win in Tokyo.
Football fans on Twitter had plenty of reactions for PSG's game against Kawasaki Frontale. Tweets ranged from Messi's performance to crediting Kawasaki's resilience and also praising Kalimuendo for his efforts.
Here are some of the best tweets in that regard:
PSG still have two more pre-season games to play in Japan. The Parisian giants are scheduled to take on Urawa Red Diamonds on July 23 before ending their tour with a game against Gamba Osaka two days later.
Galtier's side will play Clermont Foot away from home on the opening day of the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season on August 6. Before that, they will take on Nantes in the Trophee des Champions on July 31.
Big things will be expected from Lionel Messi as PSG enter a new era under Christophe Galtier
It is fair to say that Lionel Messi did not have the best 2021-22 season based on his lofty standards. The 35-year-old forward took his time to adapt to his new surroundings in France following his free transfer from FC Barcelona last summer.
Messi contributed just 11 goals and 15 assists for the Parisian giants across all competitions. However, only six of those goals were scored in Ligue 1.
The Argentine superstar will be expected to have a much better season as Paris Saint-Germain begin their new era under Christophe Galtier. According to recent reports, the newly appointed manager could tweak tactics to get the best out of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
It is worth noting that Messi has entered the final year of his PSG contract. The club are keen to renew his contract for another season which could see him stay in Paris until the summer of 2024.
