Paris Saint-Germain retained the UEFA Super Cup with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in Salzburg on Wednesday, with Desire Doue scoring the decisive second-half goal.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put the Champions League holders ahead in the 20th minute, cutting inside before firing a powerful strike past Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot.
Villa, winners of the UEFA Europa League, responded strongly before halftime. Seventeen-year-old debutant Brian Madjo, the youngest player to start a Super Cup final, headed wide with one of several chances before finally finding the net on the stroke of halftime with a first-time volley from John McGinn’s cross.
PSG regained control after the break and Doue restored their lead shortly after the hour mark. His goal was initially ruled out for offside but was awarded following a VAR review.
Villa pushed for an equaliser, with George Hemmings forcing a save from Matvei Safonov and Joao Gomes denied by a late Warren Zaire-Emery block.
PSG held on to claim their second successive Super Cup title, becoming the first team since 2017 to retain the trophy.
The victory also extended PSG’s unbeaten run against Premier League opposition to 11 matches, while manager Luis Enrique secured his third Super Cup triumph.
The match also provided Kenyan assistant referee Stephen Yiembe and Somali referee Omar Artan a rare opportunity for African match officials to demonstrate their capabilities in a high-profile European competition.
Their appointment represented a breakthrough for Kenyan refereeing and another step in the growing visibility of East African officials on the international stage.
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