Paris Saint-Germain retained the UEFA Super Cup after beating Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg, with Desire Doue’s second-half winner proving enough to deny Unai Emery’s side despite an impressive display.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s stunning first-half strike gave the Champions League winners the lead before 17-year-old Brian Madjo continued his remarkable emergence by becoming the youngest scorer in Super Cup history with a deserved equaliser before the break.
However, Doue restored PSG’s advantage just after the hour and Villa were unable to find a second leveller despite creating late opportunities.
Villa, missing the departed Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans, more than matched Luis Enrique’s side for long spells but ultimately fell short against Europe’s reigning champions.
Madjo makes history after Kvaratskhelia brilliance
Villa made the brighter start in Salzburg, forcing early set-pieces through George Hemmings and Ian Maatsen, while Boubacar Kamara also fired narrowly wide from distance.
Despite Emery’s side enjoying the better opening exchanges, PSG punished the first real mistake of the evening after 20 minutes.
Following a Villa turnover high up the pitch, Doue reacted quickest to feed Kvaratskhelia, who took one touch before unleashing an unstoppable effort beyond Marco Bizot.
The Georgian became the first player from his country to score in a UEFA Super Cup final.
Rather than retreat, Villa responded with no fear.
Teenage striker Madjo twice threatened, first heading narrowly wide from a John McGinn cross before bending another effort past the far post after excellent work from Hemmings.
The youngster then struck the post after overpowering Willian Pacho before finally getting the goal his performance deserved on the stroke of half-time.
McGinn’s inviting cross picked out Madjo at the back post, and despite being wrestled by Pacho, the 17-year-old showed impressive strength and composure to fire into the roof of the net.
In doing so, he overtook Patrick Kluivert to become the youngest goalscorer in UEFA Super Cup history.
Doue settles entertaining contest
Luis Enrique responded immediately by introducing Ousmane Dembele at half-time, and PSG gradually began to assert greater control after the restart.
Villa still threatened, with McGinn forcing Matvey Safonov into an excellent save early in the second half, while Pau Torres picked up the game’s first booking for a heavy challenge on Doue.
PSG restored their lead in the 61st minute through Doue after a lengthy VAR review.
Dembele split the Villa defence with a perfectly weighted through ball, allowing Doue to time his run to perfection before calmly bending a left-footed finish beyond Bizot.
Although the assistant’s flag initially went up, replays showed the French international had stayed onside, and VAR awarded the goal.
Villa almost responded instantly when Hemmings skipped past two defenders on the edge of the box, only to shoot straight at Safonov after creating space for himself.
Emery introduced Tammy Abraham, Alysson Edward, Ross Barkley, Tyrone Mings and Lamare Bogarde as Villa chased another equaliser, while PSG freshened up with Fabian Ruiz, Lucas Hernandez and Lucas Beraldo.
Both sides continued to create openings in an entertaining finale. Kvaratskhelia was denied after another dangerous PSG counter before Alysson’s low cross flashed across goal with Maatsen unable to apply the finishing touch.
Villa’s best chance arrived deep into stoppage time when Maatsen delivered an inviting cross to Emiliano Buendia, but the Argentine could only glance his header agonisingly wide of the near post.
