Tottenham’s UEFA Super Cup Heartbreak – A Curse in the Making?

London’s side were just two minutes away from lifting the UEFA Super Cup — until PSG snatched it away.

The curtain-raiser to the new season produced a thriller with a dramatic finale. Paris Saint-Germain equalized in the 88th minute and claimed the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham on penalties, despite the London club’s disciplined defending and dangerous counter-attacks throughout the game. For all their patience and defensive resilience, it wasn’t enough to secure the silverware.

PSG Not at Their Peak

PSG came into the match still shaking off the fatigue from a grueling previous campaign. Their performance in the FIFA Club World Cup final against Chelsea — a 3–0 defeat — showed signs of physical wear. Against Tottenham, the Parisians were far from their sharpest, and the match could have swung either way.

Tottenham Strike First

Despite fielding three defensive midfielders, Tottenham controlled the ball in the opening minutes. The French champions eventually reclaimed possession, but the London side created the more threatening chances in the first half.

Repeatedly, Spurs targeted Achraf Hakimi’s flank, sending in dangerous crosses. Richarlison also tested PSG keeper Lucas Chevalier with a long-range effort. The pressure paid off in the 39th minute when Tottenham scored from a set piece: goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario launched the ball deep into PSG’s half, João Palhinha hit the crossbar, and Micky van de Ven pounced on the rebound to make it 1–0.

Doubling the Lead

Luis Enrique’s men couldn’t find their rhythm in the second half, and Tottenham capitalized. Pedro Porro’s cross found Cristian Romero, whose header slipped through Chevalier’s hands for 2–0 — a nightmare moment for the new PSG goalkeeper.

The intensity rose, fouls piled up, and Tottenham looked comfortable on the counter. PSG thought they had pulled one back in the 65th minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Parisian Comeback

The match seemed to be slipping away from PSG until the 85th minute, when Lee Kang-in struck from outside the box to halve the deficit. The tension skyrocketed, and Tottenham just needed to see out the final minutes. But deep into stoppage time, Ousmane Dembélé’s cross found Gonçalo Ramos, who headed home the equalizer in the 94th minute.

No extra time was played, and the match went straight to penalties — where Chevalier redeemed himself by saving two Tottenham spot-kicks, sealing a dramatic victory for PSG.

Heat, Fatigue… and Champion’s Mentality

Both sides are still building up fitness for the season ahead, and the sweltering 30°C heat in Udine, Italy, certainly played a part. But excuses aside, PSG’s late surge showed their champion mentality — scoring twice in the final 10 minutes to force penalties and lift yet another trophy.

For Tottenham, the wait for European silverware goes on. Whether this was just bad luck or the start of another painful curse remains to be seen.

Published by Patrick Jane
14.08.2025