Tottenham let a two-goal lead slip in the dying minutes of the UEFA Super Cup, falling 4-3 on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain after a dramatic 2-2 draw in Udine.
Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero looked to have sealed the trophy for Spurs with set-piece goals on either side of half-time, but PSG turned the tide late with a furious comeback. Kang-In Lee struck in the 85th minute before Goncalo Ramos headed home a 94th-minute equaliser to force penalties.
Spurs briefly took control of the shootout after Vitinha missed PSG’s first kick, but misses from Van de Ven and substitute Mathys Tel handed the French champions the edge. Nuno Mendes slotted home the decisive penalty to complete PSG’s late smash-and-grab.
The defeat ends what could have been a dream debut for Tottenham manager Thomas Frank. His side executed his tactical blueprint nearly to perfection for 80 minutes, pressing high when needed and dropping deep when required, frustrating the Champions League holders and limiting them to a single shot on target until the final stretch.
“We had them exactly where we wanted them,” Frank said post-match. “We showed we can go toe-to-toe with anyone.”
PSG, still shaking off the rust from a shorter pre-season following their Club World Cup final loss to Chelsea, looked out of sorts until manager Luis Enrique shuffled the deck midway through the second half. The introduction of Fabian Ruiz helped tilt the midfield, while late substitutes provided the breakthrough.
Despite the heartbreak, Spurs’ gritty and disciplined showing will give fans hope heading into the new season. The loss stings, but their performance against elite opposition suggests a team quickly buying into Frank’s vision.
What’s Next?
Tottenham kick off their Premier League season at home to Burnley on Saturday. PSG open their Ligue 1 campaign away at Nantes on Sunday.
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