PSG beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria, to claim the 2026 UEFA Super Cup title.
Desire Doue’s 61st-minute finish proved enough for PSG to retain their title for a second consecutive year, having cut in from the right flank to curl in the winning goal.
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia initially fired PSG into a 20th-minute lead from Doue’s pass, before Brian Madjo equalised in the 45th minute with a close-range finish for Villa from John McGinn’s cross.
Whilst PSG went for a strong starting 11 despite several regulars having been involved in the closing stages of this summer’s World Cup barely a month ago, Unai Emery opted to field a blended team of first-team regulars and youngsters who held their own in a cagey opening ten minutes.
PSG’s Vitinha eventually sparked the showpiece into life with a 11th-minute shot over the bar, before Villa’s Boubacar Kamara fired wide of the bottom left corner just two minutes later.
PSG eventually broke the deadlock after Desire Doue’s initial shot in the 20th minute was blocked, but he quickly regained possession and slipped Kvaratskhelia in on the left to fire past Marco Bizot into the top right corner.
Villa however refused to wilt in spite of having several first-team starters absent as Madjo put a header wide, then George Hemmings saw a shot blocked.
The pair nearly combined for a 35th-minute equaliser after Hemmings was slipped through into the box, yet he was squeezed by PSG’s defence and cut back to Madjo who fired wide of the top right corner across the face of goal.
Villa continued to finish the first half strongly as Madjo put a header wide and a shot onto the left post.
The 17-year-old eventually found his goal on his competitive debut for Villa as he flicked McGinn’s cross in off his left foot to restore parity at half time.
PSG responded by substituting Maghnes Akliouche for Dembele but Villa continued their momentum as McGinn forced a 50th-minute save from Matvei Safonov to block his shot.
Villa however found themselves behind in the 61st minute after Dembele slipped Doue to cut in from the right with a curled shot into the far left corner.
PSG however couldn’t rest on their laurels as Villa continued to pile on the pressure and almost paid the price on a 82nd-minute counter-attack, which saw Tammy Abraham play fellow substitute – Alysson in on the right side of the box but the latter cut back across the box evading Abraham’s grasp.
Villa however rode their own luck as Dembele volleyed over from Kvaratskhelia’s cutback pass into the centre of the box, but couldn’t find a second equaliser as PSG clung on to retain their UEFA Super Cup title, after Emiliano Buendia headed wide in the fifth minute of injury time.
Teams
PSG: Matvei Safonov, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes (Hernandez 75′), Warren Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Joao Neves (Ruiz 75′), Maghnes Akliouche (Dembele 46′), Desire Doue (Mayulu 87′), Kvicha Kvaratskhelia (Beraldo 88′)
Substitutes: Bradley Barcola, Lucas Chevalier, Ousmane Dembele, Lucas Digne, Dro Fernandez, Lucas Hernandez, Lucas Beraldo, Senny Mayulu, Ibrahim Mbaye, Quentin Ndjantou, Fabian Ruiz, Ilia Zabarnyi
Aston Villa: Marco Bizot, Matty Cash, Victor Lindelöf, Pau Torres (Mings 79′), Ian Maatsen, Boubacar Kamara (Bogarde 72′), Joao Gomes (Barkley 79′), John McGinn (Alysson 73′), George Hemmings, Emiliano Buendia, Brian Madjo (Abraham 72′)
Substitutes: Owen Asemota, Tammy Abraham, Ross Barkley, Lamare Bogarde, Bradley Burrowes, Modou Keba Cisse, Luka Lynch, Tyrone Mings, Kosta Nedeljkovic, Triston Rowe, James Wright, Alysson
Referee – Omar Artan
Leave a Reply