Paris Saint-Germain held off a spirited Aston Villa fightback to win 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup final, with Désiré Doué’s VAR-assisted second-half strike settling the contest at Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put the Champions League holders ahead in the 20th minute, capitalising on a defensive turnover to beat Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot from close range. Villa, appearing in the fixture on the back of their Europa League triumph in May, responded through 17-year-old substitute-turned-starter Brian Madjo, who levelled matters on the stroke of half-time.
PSG head coach Luis Enrique turned to Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembélé at the interval, and the change paid off when Doué restored the French side’s lead in the 61st minute. The goal was initially flagged for offside before a video review confirmed Doué had timed his run correctly, awarding PSG the decisive strike.
Villa manager Unai Emery, who spent two years in charge of PSG between 2016 and 2018, made a triple substitution just after the hour mark in search of an equaliser, introducing Tammy Abraham, Lamare Bogarde and Alysson. Villa finished the match with the greater share of possession in the closing stages but could not find a way past a resolute PSG backline marshalled by Marquinhos and Willian Pacho.
The result gives PSG the Super Cup for a second successive year, having beaten Tottenham Hotspur on penalties in last year’s edition after a 2-2 draw.
Enrique’s side, who also won the Champions League and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup last season, extend their run of silverware into the new campaign.
Both clubs open their domestic seasons this weekend, with PSG’s Ligue 1 campaign beginning on Sunday, 16 August, and Villa’s Premier League opener following a day earlier. The two clubs will also meet again in this season’s Champions League group phase, which begins in September.