Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) celebrated again as they lifted the UEFA Super Cup. In the World Club Cup, they beat London club Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 in a beautiful penalty shootout. The match took place in a highly anticipated annual clash between the reigning Champions League winners, PSG, and the Europa League champions, Tottenham. With this victory, PSG earned their fifth trophy of the year, reaffirming their dominance in European football.
The game opened with Tottenham hot on the offensive, quickly scoring the first goal. Cristian Romero then blasted the Spurs’ second goal just three minutes after half-time. This left them in the lead with a surprising 2-0 score line. PSG responded in the closing stages of the match. When Lee Kang-in scored on 85 minutes, there was a glimmer of hope for the French club. With time running down, Goncalo Ramos found an equalizer for PSG in the fourth minute of stoppage time. With this breathtaking goal, the match went into a dramatic penalty shootout.
In the shootout, PSG struggled, with Vitinha missing their first penalty. But undeterred, they soon found their footing again and slotted home four straight penalties to serve up punishment. It was left to Nuno Mendes to wrap up the victory himself with a firm finish, rounding off PSG’s clinical performance.
Thomas Frank, who was in charge of Tottenham for his first aggressive towards the point, admitted he did not be expecting such a performance from his facet.
“I think we played a very good game against one of the best teams in the world – maybe the best in this moment in time,” – Thomas Frank.
To that end, he admitted that Tottenham were in control of the match until the turning point after PSG’s first goal, when the momentum changed.
“I think we had them exactly where we wanted them for 80-something minutes until the 2-1 goal. Then, of course, that shifted a little bit the momentum, but there was so much positive,” – Thomas Frank.
Marquinhos, PSG’s captain, told reporters that they were proud of their performance, especially given the lack of preparation time for the match.
“I am proud. We haven’t [had] much preparation, but you could see that football is not only about the physical aspect – it is also about the mental aspect, being in the right place, having the right tactics,” – Marquinhos.
The Super Cup triumph arrives at a crucial juncture for both teams. After winning the Carabao Cup, Ange Postecoglou just became the first Spurs manager to win a trophy in 17 years! The squad that beat Manchester United in the Europa League final last May. At the same time, PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma declared his exit from the team just two days before this encounter.
