PSG 2-2 Tottenham [4-3 on pens]: Spurs let two-goal lead slip in Super Cup defeat | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur crumbled in the dying minutes before losing the penalty shootout in their UEFA Super Cup clash with Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.

The UEFA Europa League champions, now managed by Thomas Frank after the controversial dismissal of Ange Postecoglou, defended valiantly before taking a first-half lead through Micky van de Ven.

Cristian Romero, recently awarded the captaincy duties, doubled that lead three minutes after the break – but a late resurgence from PSG saw Kang-in Lee provide a lifeline and Gonçalo Ramos net the equaliser inside stoppage time.

Nuno Mendes scored the winning penalty in the shootout after two misses from Spurs.

As it happened

Given that the domestic season has not yet got underway for either side, it perhaps came as no surprise that the opening minutes of the UEFA Super Cup were a dull affair to say the least.

Possession was dominated by the French side, billed by many as the pre-match favourites after a dominant 2024/25 campaign that saw them win the Ligue 1 title by some distance and thrash Inter 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final.

But for all of PSG’s possession, it was the North London side that forced the first shot on target of the night when Richarlison combined beautifully with Mohammed Kudus, letting an effort fly from 25 yards out and forcing a fine save from Lucas Chevalier.

PSG’s best chance of the first half came in the form of a woeful attempt from Ousmane Dembélé ten minutes before the break – and it was a chance that soon came back to bite them, with Micky van de Ven finding the opener at the other end four minutes later. Chevalier’s stop to deny Rodrigo Bentancur was sublime, though the goalkeeper was unfortunate to see the rebound smashed home by the Dutch defender.

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham could have doubled their lead before trundling down the tunnel, though an offside Kudus could only find the base of the right post. It wouldn’t prove too costly for the N17 side, as captain Cristian Romero lifted their spirits in the 48th minute by nodding home a Pedro Porro free-kick at the back post.

Still, it’d be foolish to assume that PSG were dead and buried. Luis Enrique’s men showed signs of promise shortly after the hour mark and appeared to have halved the deficit through Bradley Barcola after a scramble inside the box, only for the 22-year-old to be flagged offside.

Fabian Ruiz’s excellent holdup play inside the penalty area was squandered too when Dembélé scuffed a great chance wide of the post, but les Parisiens eventually clawed their way back into contention with five minutes remaining. A fine effort by substitute Kang-in Lee provided a lifeline, with the South Korean picking out the bottom corner from distance with a fantastic finish.

Spurs’ defensive resilience looked to be called into question throughout the six additional minutes of stoppage time, with two corners swung in dangerously by Dembélé and a half-hearted penalty appeal from Ibrahim Mbaye. That pressure told eventually: Gonçalo Ramos’ close-range header had Vicário well-beaten, setting up a penalty shootout finale.

Just as they had done in regulation time, Spurs took a two-goal lead after an inexplicable Vitinha miss – but PSG once again fought back, with Nuno Mendes eventually firing home the winner after Van de Ven saw an effort saved by Chevalier and Mathys Tel blazed wide.

The lineups

PSG: Chevalier; Mendes. Pacho, Marquinhos, Hakimi; Doué, Vitinha, Zaïre-Emery; Barcola, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia