Paris Saint-Germain have claimed the UEFA Super Cup for the second consecutive year, defeating Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg, Austria, in the traditional curtain-raiser to the European football season. Goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué were enough to secure the trophy, despite a spirited showing from an Aston Villa side that had every reason to believe they could cause an upset.
Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a characteristically powerful strike into the top corner, but Villa responded with one of the stories of the evening. Brian Madjo, a 17-year-old striker of English-Cameroonian-Luxembourgish background, equalised with a composed finish at the back post from John McGinn's cross — his competitive debut for the club coming just days after a dispute with FIFA over his registration was resolved. In doing so, Madjo became the youngest player ever to start and score in a UEFA Super Cup final, surpassing a record previously held by Patrick Kluivert, who scored for Ajax as a 19-year-old in 1995. Standing 1.93 metres tall, Madjo — son of former Cameroonian professional Guy Madjo — grew up in Luxembourg before Aston Villa brought him to England in January, having previously played five matches for Metz in France's Ligue 1.
The decisive moment came just after the hour mark, when Doué received a pass from Ousmane Dembélé and finished into the far corner. The goal was initially ruled out for offside before a video review determined that Villa's Matty Cash, on the opposite side of the pitch, had inadvertently played Doué onside. The win is PSG's fifth international title under manager Luis Enrique, and the first of a potential six trophies the club are targeting this season. They became the first side to win back-to-back Super Cups since Real Madrid in 2016 and 2017.
The Super Cup, an annual match between the Champions League winners and Europa League winners — PSG and Villa respectively — also attracted attention beyond the result. Somali referee Omar Artan, rated the best official in Africa last season, took charge of the match in what was widely read as a pointed statement by UEFA. Artan had been barred by US authorities from officiating at the FIFA World Cup, with American officials citing alleged links to terrorist organisations without providing evidence. UEFA's decision to appoint him to the Super Cup came amid a deepening rift between the two governing bodies, fuelled in part by UEFA's campaign to remove FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Artan became the first non-European referee to take charge of the Super Cup, and drew little criticism for his handling of a match played in an open, attacking spirit by both sides.