Paris Saint-Germain have added the UEFA Super Cup to their 2025 trophy haul, beating Tottenham Hotspur on penalties after a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes. The Ligue 1 side was set up in a typically robust formation by new coach Thomas Frank, but they were unable to create many scoring chances.
Spurs took an early lead through a well-constructed goal, with Micky van de Ven following up to give the team a surprise but deserved lead. Spurs continued to press and doubled their advantage just three minutes later, only for PSG to grow into the game in the second half.
PSG had a goal disallowed for offside after 66 minutes, but finally broke through in the 85th minute via a driven finish from Lee Kang-in. However, Spurs fans’ worst fears were realised when Goncalo Ramos headed home a Dembele cross in injury time to take the match to penalties.
The Parisians won the shootout comfortably, with PSG’s goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier showing his potential to fill Gianluigi Donnarumma’s void.
Spurs’ performance was praised for their pragmatism and intelligence, as they set up a 3-5-2 system that maximised their strengths and compromised PSG’s. The team was effective from set pieces and consistently made the middle of the pitch difficult to break through.
However, Spurs struggled with their energy levels by 70 minutes, leaving them vulnerable to PSG’s late counter-attacks.
The victory will give Spurs fans hope for the season ahead, despite the loss of key players like Son Heung-min and James Maddison. The team has shown that it has quality beyond its big-name stars, particularly among its young players.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6551757/2025/08/13/psg-tottenham-super-cup-result-analysis