Sports

PSG Make Dramatic Comeback, Beat Tottenham to Win UEFA Super Cup

Published

6 months ago

August 14, 2025

Eric

European champions, Paris Saint-Germain, beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties to win the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday after producing a late comeback to draw the match 2-2.

The European champions began the new season by lifting more silverware on Wednesday

Goncalo Ramos headed in the equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time before Nuno Mendes converted the decisive kick in the shoot-out to allow PSG to win the Super Cup for the first time in their history.

Spurs looked set to get their hands on the trophy in their first competitive match under new coach Thomas Frank as they led 2-0 just after half-time at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy.

Micky van de Ven gave last season’s Europa League winners the lead on 39 minutes, and Cristian Romero got their second goal three minutes into the second half.

However, PSG were rescued by two substitutes as Lee Kang-in pulled a goal back in the 85th minute and Goncalo Ramos headed in the equaliser four minutes into injury time.

That meant a penalty shoot-out, but it started badly for PSG when Vitinha put their first kick wide.

However, new Paris goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier saved from Van de Ven, and Mathys Tel missed the target, allowing Nuno Mendes to convert the winning penalty for PSG.

Dominic Solanke, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Pedro Porro all scored from the spot for Spurs, in vain. Ramos, Ousmane Dembele, and Lee converted for PSG before Mendes stepped up.

It is the first time PSG, or indeed any French club, have lifted the Super Cup, as they take their tally of trophies won in 2025 to five.

It is also the perfect start to the new campaign for Luis Enrique’s team, who had a shortened off-season break having lost the FIFA Club World Cup final to Chelsea exactly a month ago.

They now begin the new Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday away to Nantes, while Spurs will turn their attentions to the start of the Premier League season as they take on Burnley at home on Saturday.

The French giants had, in May, won the Champions League for the first time in their history as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter Milan in the most one-sided final ever.

Teenager Desire Doue scored twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory.

Achraf Hakimi, playing against his former club, gave PSG an early lead, and Doue went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled their advantage in the 20th minute.

Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth, and substitute Senny Mayulu made it five.

Inter were simply no match for the French club, who recorded the biggest victory by any team in the final in the 70-year history of the European Cup and Champions League.

The triumph for the Parisians comes after more than a decade of huge investment from their Qatari owners, and five years after they lost to Bayern Munich in their only previous final appearance.

The French league and cup double winners were remarkably just the second ever French winners of European football’s biggest prize; Marseille were the first in 1993, when they beat AC Milan in a final also played in Munich.

It is also a second Champions League for PSG coach Luis Enrique, who won with Lionel Messi’s Barcelona a decade ago.

This youthful PSG side is the best the competition has seen since, one that has been intelligently pieced together over the last two years and fully unleashed this season following the departure of Kylian Mbappe.

AFP

Sports

Benfica Tackle Real Madrid Again in Champions League R16 Playoffs (Full List)

Published

5 days ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

The draw for the Champions League last 16 and knockout play-offs has been completed.

One of the most interesting fixtures, will see Benfica play Real Madrid.

The two teams clashed on the last day of the league phase with Jose Mourinho’s men winning 4-2 in Portugal.

That result saw Benfica sneak into the play-offs and denied Madrid an automatic spot.

Clubs have been paired together based on where they finished at the end of the league phase to form seeded and unseeded pairs.

The teams that finished ninth to 16th were in the seeded pairs, while 17th to 24th were in unseeded pairs.

PLAY-OFF DRAWS:

Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta

Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen

Galatasaray vs Juventus

Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid

Monaco vs PSG

Qarabag vs Newcastle

Benfica vs Real Madrid

Bodo/Glimt vs Inter

Knockout play-off round: February 17-18, February 24-25

Sports

Super Eagles Defeat Egypt, Bags Bronze Medal As AFCON 2025 Grounds to a Halt

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

Eric

The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.

Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.

The match itself was a tight, physical affair, high on running but low on clear chances.

Nigeria thought they had taken the lead just before halftime when Paul Onuachu turned in an effort from Akor Adams, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review.

With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.

Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.

Nigeria’s subsequent takers were flawless, allowing Lookman to seal the victory and preserve Nigeria’s perfect record in AFCON third-place matches.

Senegal on Sunday, defeated host Morocco by a lone goal after a pulsating, tension and crisis-ridden game, to emerge 2025 AFCON Champions.

Sports

CAF Acknowledges Akor Adams’ Goal Tribute to DR Congo Superfan

Published

3 weeks ago

January 11, 2026

Eric

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has publicly acknowledged Super Eagles striker Akor Adams following his goal celebration in Nigeria’s 2-0 quarter-final win over Algeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Adams scored Nigeria’s second goal against the Desert Foxes, making amends for earlier missed chances and helping the Super Eagles secure a place in the semifinals.

However, it was his celebration, rather than the finish itself, that drew widespread attention across the continent.

Tribute to DR Congo superfan

After finding the net, the Sevilla forward marked the moment with a gesture inspired by DR Congo superfan Mboladinga ‘Lumumba’.

The Congolese supporter has become a familiar figure at the tournament for standing throughout all DR Congo matches as a tribute to the legacy of former prime minister Patrice Lumumba.

Adams’ celebration mirrored Mboladinga’s stance, a move widely interpreted as a sign of respect and solidarity beyond national lines. The moment resonated with fans and officials alike, quickly gaining traction on social media.

CAF Reaction and fan response

CAF highlighted the gesture on its official X account, sharing an image of Adams’ celebration alongside a brief but pointed message. “Standing still. Akor.,” the continental body wrote.

The post prompted a wave of reactions from football fans across Africa. A user identified as @MrChirenga commented, “Love the fact that Africans are becoming more and more united fam … Love from Zimbabwe.”

Another fan, @abuagoody, praised Adams’ qualities, writing, “Such an impressive player. The last players that played like him for Nigeria are John Utaka, Brown Ideye and Uche.”

Others focused on Adams’ technical ability, with @MouxCaa adding, “Akor Adams is a type of player you see touching the ball and you automatically know it’s a professional footballer.”