Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Tottenham (4-3 pens)
PSG score two late goals to set up shootout
It turns out the DNA of serial winners cannot be developed within three months. Tottenham should have been able to announce themselves kings of the continent here, flimsy though any grand statements after a Uefa Super Cup win might be. For long periods they overpowered a lethargic Paris Saint-Germain and it looked, until the final 10 minutes, as if Thomas Frank’s playbook had been perfectly imprinted on the lilywhite half of north London.
Spurs had pummelled PSG in the air, deserving to lead through Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. They had rarely been under threat but the Champions League winners perked up after Lee Kang-in’s crisp drive and levelled deep in added time when Gonçalo Ramos glanced in. Such recourse to old ways meant Tottenham were compelled to suffer the torment of penalties, Van de Ven and Mathys Tel both missing and letting Nuno Mendes inflict the clincher.
The teams had emerged to a Uefa-organised banner reading “Stop killing children, stop killing civilians”, its context generalised but the timing surely no accident. The sport has a booming voice to make better use of; this was, at least, some kind of start.
