Ah, my friends, what a heartbreaker in Udine! Tottenham took us on quite the rollercoaster ride in the UEFA Super Cup, building a commanding two-goal lead only to see it slip away — much like me trying to maintain my diet during Tết holiday. Thomas Frank’s competitive debut as Spurs boss ended in tears as PSG claimed victory on penalties.
Match Highlights
Despite being the underdogs, Spurs showcased impressive early control. Micky Van de Ven fired home just before half-time, giving them the lead. The momentum continued after the break when captain Cristian Romero doubled their advantage with a powerful header.
However, as we all know in football, a two-goal lead can be precarious. PSG proved this theory correct when Lee Kang-in and Goncalo Ramos scored late to take the match to penalties. Although Vitinha’s miss gave Spurs an early advantage in the shootout, missed penalties from Van de Ven and Mathys Tel allowed Nuno Mendes to step up and secure a 4-3 shootout win for the French side.
Stars and Struggles
Winners
- Richarlison silenced transfer rumors with a tireless performance against PSG’s formidable defense. The Brazilian barely gave the opposition room when they had possession and showed danger with the ball at his feet.
- Cristian Romero justified his new captain’s armband with a rock-solid performance. His header for Spurs’ second goal was well deserved, and his defensive statistics are impressive: four headed clearances, perfect in ground duels, and winning two of three aerial challenges.
- Djed Spence excelled even while playing on the unfamiliar left side of a back five. Containing both Kvaratskhelia and Hakimi is no small achievement, and apart from failing to stop Dembele’s cross for PSG’s equalizer, he delivered an outstanding performance that might catch England manager Thomas Tuchel’s attention.
Losers
- Mathys Tel endured a nightmare cameo, conceding a dangerous free-kick almost immediately after coming on, then missing his crucial penalty. The young Frenchman struggled with two fouls, zero completed dribbles from three attempts, and just eight touches during his 17-minute appearance.
- Dominic Solanke paled in comparison to Richarlison’s energetic display. Though he converted his penalty well in the shootout, his overall game contribution was minimal, with just five touches and no accurate passes during his 24 minutes on the pitch.
- Kevin Danso had an uncharacteristically difficult night dealing with Bradley Barcola’s pace and skill. His long throws threatened but rarely created genuine chances. He also earned one of only two Spurs bookings for time-wasting, which proved to be ineffective.
The defeat stings for Spurs fans, but Frank’s men showed enough quality to suggest this season might still bring joy to North London — hopefully with fewer penalty shootouts!