European Super Cup: PSG pegged back by Aston Villa at halftime (1-1)

12.08.26 FT UEFA Super Cup

Paris Saint-Germain

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Aston Villa

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PSG and Aston Villa are level at halftime in a lively European Super Cup clash, marked by two goals and a flurry of chances.

Paris Saint-Germain, two-time defending Champions League winners, got off to a flying start in this European Super Cup. Luis Enrique’s men immediately imposed their tempo against the deep block set up by Unai Emery, the former PSG head coach.

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This early dominance paid off in the 20th minute. After Désiré Doué’s first attempt was parried by Marco Bizot, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia picked up the loose ball, skipped past Matty Cash, and unleashed a powerful strike to break the deadlock. Paris maintained control afterward, but failed to convert several clear-cut chances.

Aston Villa wake up before halftime

After being under the cosh for much of the half, Aston Villa finally broke out of their shell in the final 15 minutes. The Villans created a string of dangerous situations, exploiting the gaps left by a suddenly shaky Parisian defense.

The English side were finally rewarded just before the break thanks to Brian Madjo. The 17-year-old striker brought the teams level at the perfect moment. Unai Emery returned to the dressing room with a smile, in stark contrast to Luis Enrique, who looked visibly frustrated. The Paris manager will need to quickly rally his troops to avoid letting this first European trophy of the season slip away.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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