Paris Saint-Germain won their first UEFA Super Cup by defeating Tottenham Hotspur in a penalty shootout after a stunning late comeback saw them erase a two-goal deficit in a dramatic 2-2 draw on Wednesday.
Substitute Gonçalo Ramos headed a 94th-minute equaliser to force the shootout, denying new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank a trophy in his first competitive match. Nuno Mendes converted the decisive spot-kick to seal the victory for the reigning European champions.
Spurs appeared poised to secure the trophy, leading 2-0 with just five minutes of normal time remaining. Goals from defender Micky van de Ven shortly before halftime and new captain Cristian Romero early in the second half had given the Europa League holders a commanding lead.
But PSG, who were playing their first competitive match of the season, mounted a remarkable fightback. Lee Kang-in began the revival with a fine strike in the 85th minute before Ramos met a cross deep into stoppage time to level the match and send it directly to penalties.
After PSG’s Vitinha fired the opening penalty wide, van de Ven saw his effort saved by goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier. A subsequent miss from Tottenham’s Mathys Tel gave Nuno Mendes the opportunity to score the winning penalty and hand PSG the trophy.
The result is a heartbreaking blow for Tottenham, who were seeking their second European trophy in three months. The club won the Europa League in May under former manager Ange Postecoglou, who was dismissed 16 days after that final.
Despite the outcome, Spurs showed encouraging signs under Frank, who implemented a more defensively robust formation. They successfully denied the formidable PSG attack a single shot on target for the first 65 minutes. Both of Tottenham’s goals originated from set-pieces, highlighting a new strength for a team that struggled defensively last season.
Tottenham must now recover quickly as they begin their Premier League campaign at home against Burnley on Saturday. PSG start the defence of their Ligue 1 title at Nantes on Sunday.
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