Perth International Football Cup: Paris Saint-Germain beat West Ham to set up final against Manchester City

Paris Saint-Germain have accounted for West Ham 1-0 to set up a blockbuster clash with Manchester City in the Perth International Football Cup final.

The French heavyweights were in control for long periods of the clash against the Women’s Super League club, and booked their spot in the final thanks to Romee Leuchter’s first-half effort.

Matildas star Katrina Gorry played 79 minutes and captained the Hammers, but was forced off the pitch late with an apparent injury.

While her side grew into the game, they were ultimately no match for the Parisians, who wielded a healthy degree of influence over proceedings without getting into the latter gears.

PSG’s victory sets up an exciting clash with Manchester City on Sunday, while West Ham will battle Leicester for third place.

West Ham narrowly avoided the drop in the WSL last season while PSG reached the semifinals of the Champions League; early on, the latter’s class was clear as daylight.

The Parisians looked a well-oiled machine in the first half as Jennifer Echegini and Anais Ebayilin dominated the midfield battle, receiving the ball on the turn and instantly spraying passes in behind to the runs of wingers Thiniba Samoura and Manssita Traore to gallop onto.

When they did not have the ball, they pressed West Ham high, restricting Gorry to backwards and sideways passes in the Irons’ own third.

PSG goalkeeper Mary Earps was a spectator for most of the first half and it took until the 22nd minute for her to touch the ball, before the French giants took the lead soon after.

Echegini found herself with time and space to pick her pass and threaded a perfect ball through for Leuchter to run onto and smash past Kinga Szimek.

The Hammers did find their footing late in the first-half, as Gorry grew in influence and Vivianne Asseyi twice came close to equalising; her long-range effort had Earps initially interested but eventually unperturbed before her header from former Glory defender Shelina Zadorsky’s cross bounced wide.

It was a relatively uneventful second-half by contrast, with PSG once again enjoying the better of the chances, although neither side took a backward step when it came to the physical element as challenges flew in.

Echegini again was involved in one of her side’s best moments, only to see her shot saved Szimek, while French international Grace Geyoro was foiled by the woodwork.

PSG should have made it 2-0 late when Korbin Albert picked out Marie-Antoinette Katoto in the box, but the start striker’s attempt drifted wide.