PSG complete comeback and beat Spurs on penalties to win Uefa Super Cup

PSG players celebrate after winning the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, Italy. Picture: Darko Bandic/AP

Uefa Super Cup: PSG 2 (Kang in Lee 85, Ramos (90+4) Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Van de Ven 39, Romero 48) 

*PSG win 4-3 on penalties 

THOMAS FRANK'S first competitive game as Tottenham manager ended in defeat but no disgrace, as Paris St Germain came back from 2-0 down to equalise deep in stoppage time and then win the ensuing penalty shoot-out to lift the UEFA Super Cup.

Micky Van de Ven and Cristian Romero had given Spurs a commanding 2-0 lead against the European Champions, but Luis Enrique's side came back strongly with two goals in the final nine minutes, the equaliser from Goncalvo Ramos coming in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Van de Ven and Mathys Tel missed from the spot, and although Vitinho also missed his penalty, Nuno Mendes struck the decisive penalty to win the tie.

But it was an encouraging start from Frank's Tottenham, who were well organised and disciplined for over an hour, not just more than their opponents, but more than in most of their games last season. 

Ange Postecoglou's side had the fifth worst defensive record in the Premier League, and Frank has clearly identified better defensive organisation as one of the 'low-hanging fruits' he told his new charges would make them harder to beat.

Romero was named before kick-off as the new club captain to replace the departed Heung Min Son, and the Argentine led by example as part of a five-man backline. 

Pedro Porro and Djed Spence were given the unenviable task of trying to nullify PSG's outstanding wide players including Khvicha Kavratskhelia, Desire Doue and Bradly Barcola, while Romero, van de Ven and Kevin Danso were up against Ousmane Dembele, who surprisingly took up deep and ineffective positions.

The fact that Luis Enrique's team did not manage a shot on target for over an hour spoke volumes about Tottenham's defence, which was aided and abetted ably by Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr and Joao Palhinha, recently signed on loan from Bayern Munich.

It left Spurs looking short of creativity in midfield, with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski suffering long-term knee injuries, but Mohammed Kudus, signed from West Ham for €60m, was superb as he dropped from a forward position alongside Richarlison. 

The pair combined well to create the first chance of note, exchanging passes before the Brazilian fired in a first-time shot that Lucas Chevalier, PSG's new keeper, did well to tip over the bar. Kudus had a shot blocked by a diving Marquinhos, and then won the free-kick from which Tottenham took the lead.

Tottenham's Micky van de Ven, second from left, scores from close range. Picture: Massimo Paolone/AP

Guglielmo Vicario, their Italian keeper returning to his home town, took a long diagonal kick from close to the halfway line, Romero headed back across goal and when Joao Palhinha volleyed the loose ball goalwards, Chevalier tipped the ball on to the bar, only for Van de Ven to drive the rebound over the line from close range. 

The big Dutchman, Tottenham's saviour with a spectacular goalline clearance in the Europa League final win over Manchester United, was now a goalscoring hero to the thousands of Spurs fans who had travelled to northern Italy.

Tottenham started the second half in the same vein, defending for their lives, breaking quickly and looking to make the most of set-pieces, an area Frank and his coaching staff also consider low-hanging fruit.

Danso was able to send throw-ins deep into the PSG penalty area at every opportunity, as Spurs made the most of their set pieces. But at times the European Champions, who have only been back in pre-season training for a week, made it easy for them.

From another Vicario long free-kick three minutes after the restart, Romero made it 2-0, heading in unchallenged from the left of goal, with Chevalier culpable of a bad error as he flapped at the ball and simply helped it over the line.

At this point Spurs looked well set to win, with PSG struggling to force Vicario to make a save. But two substitutions after an hour made a difference. Kang replaced Zaire-Emery and gave his side hope with five minutes of normal time remaining, firing a low shot past Vicario from 20 yards.

The French side's tails were up, and as the game went into the fourth of six minutes of stoppage time, Dembele who had been shifted to the right, drove in a perfect cross from substitute Goncalvo Ramos to put a diving header in the net from close range.

So it went to penalties, and the French side came out on top.

Teams 

PSG (4-3-3): Chevalier 6; Hakimi 6, Marquinhos 6, Pacho 6, Mendes 6; Doue 5 (Ramos 77), Vitinho 6, Zaire-Emery 5 (Kang 68); Kavratskhelia 5 (Ruiz 60), Dembele 6 , Barcola 6 

Tottenham (5-3-2): Vicario 7 ; Porro 7, Danso 7, Romero 8, Van de Ven 7, Spence 8; Sarr 7, (Bergvall 89) Joao Palhinha 7 (Gray 71), Bentancur 7; Kudus 8 (Tel 79), Richarlison 8 (Solanke 71).

Referee: Joao Pinheiro (Portugal) 8.