PSG stun Spurs with last-gasp comeback to claim UEFA

UDINE: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) kicked off their season in dramatic style, snatching the UEFA Super Cup from Tottenham Hotspur’s grasp after a breathtaking late comeback and a nerve-shredding penalty shootout in Udine, Italy, on Wednesday night.

Tottenham, making their first competitive outing under new boss Thomas Frank, seemed destined to lift the trophy after building a commanding 2-0 lead. Micky van de Ven’s close-range strike in the 39th minute put the Europa League winners ahead, and Cristian Romero doubled the advantage just three minutes after the restart with a free header.

But PSG, the reigning European champions, have made a habit of rewriting the script. With time slipping away, Luis Enrique turned to his bench, and his substitutes delivered in spectacular fashion. In the 85th minute, Lee Kang-in latched onto Vitinha’s pass and drilled a precise finish into the far corner. Then, deep into stoppage time, Goncalo Ramos powered home a header from Ousmane Dembele’s cross, sparking wild celebrations and forcing a shootout.

The penalties began poorly for PSG as Vitinha fired wide, but debutant goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, signed from Lille, proved an instant hero, saving Van de Ven’s effort. Ramos, Dembele, and Lee all converted before Nuno Mendes stepped up to bury the decisive kick, sealing a 4-3 win on spot-kicks and delivering PSG’s first-ever Super Cup — also a first for any French club.

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Captain Marquinhos praised the team’s resilience, noting that Spurs’ decision to sit deep after going 2-0 up “invited PSG to come at you,” a risk they ruthlessly exploited. For Enrique, the victory is particularly sweet given the disrupted build-up; his side had just a week of pre-season training and no warm-up matches after losing the FIFA Club World Cup final to Chelsea last month.

Frank, meanwhile, could only reflect on what might have been. “We had them exactly where we wanted them for 80 minutes,” he told TNT Sports. “The momentum shifted after their first goal, but there’s so much to be proud of. A penalty shootout is a flip of a coin.”

New Spurs signings Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha impressed, while Chevalier’s mixed debut — including a crucial save from Richarlison but culpability in Romero’s goal — ended on a high.

For PSG, it’s a fifth trophy of 2025, a statement of intent before their Ligue 1 opener at Nantes on Sunday. Tottenham will try to shake off the heartbreak when they begin their Premier League campaign at home to Burnley on Saturday.

In the end, it was a reminder that against PSG, no lead is truly safe — and no trophy is secure until the final whistle.