PSG overcome tough Aston Villa test to begin season with UEFA Super Cup triumph

[p]Nine of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a]’s starting XI began the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] in May, but with many of their FIFA World Cup stars returning to training only last week, the French giants took time to find their rhythm.[/p][p][b]One player who needed no time to get up to speed was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvaratskhelia-khvicha/bNuGt0hE/"]Khvicha Kvaratskhelia[/a], who gave the UCL holders a 20th-minute lead when he cut inside and beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bizot-marco/OlUQhqqo/"]Marco Bizot[/a] with a powerful strike to add to his four goals against English sides last season.[/b][/p][image alt="Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring for PSG" id="f40a925e-7456-4aaf-bc56-965f63df65d6" credit-line="REUTERS / Gintare Karpaviciute" guid="565543fd-097b-44b8-8688-212562a06dfe" original-width="3153" original-height="2226" /][p]Luis Enrique’s men have now scored in 29 competitive games in a row, and they should have doubled the advantage when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendes-nuno/ne2xCTJj/"]Nuno Mendes[/a] raced in behind, but he somehow failed to find all four PSG players in the box with his cut-back. [/p][p]They were nearly punished moments later, when 17-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Villa[/a] debutant [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/madjo-brian/UwsMiPon/"]Brian Madjo[/a] – who became the youngest player to start a Super Cup final – headed just wide from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcginn-john/rgGnzD2e/"]John McGinn[/a]’s cross.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="43df9cad-fc3e-43e5-9d07-4d8a447f1865" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="b7505097-d1e7-4ab7-b79b-04675c6e57fa" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]The teenager had two more excellent chances as the UEFA Europa League winners ended the half strongly, nodding over the crossbar from inside the six-yard box and striking the outside of the post after outmuscling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pacho-william/KA5AQsy0/"]Willian Pacho[/a].[/p][p][b]Yet Madjo eventually made it fourth time lucky on the stroke of half time, as he met McGinn’s cross with a first-time volley into the roof of the net to become the youngest goalscorer in Super Cup history.[/b][/p][image alt="Madjo celebrates his goal" id="eddbd289-8c5a-498c-8440-8df09224ca00" credit-line="REUTERS / Angelika Warmuth" guid="5d400a37-eaca-4d46-994b-43a388ae0639" original-width="5049" original-height="3288" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] replaced PSG debutant [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/akliouche-maghnes/0UP6MLGJ/"]Maghnes Akliouche[/a] at half time, but Villa had the first chance after the restart when McGinn’s curling effort forced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/safonov-matvey/zJF3W9Rq/"]Matvei Safonov[/a] into a save.[/p][p][b]However, Enrique’s side regained the lead just after the hour mark when Doue sprung the offside trap and slotted past Bizot, with the goal initially disallowed for offside, only to be given after a VAR check. [/b][/p][image alt="Doue celebrates his goal" id="41e6bd02-6b2c-433e-ba5a-6fd1841420b6" credit-line="REUTERS / Angelika Warmuth" guid="d1364d11-0a7f-4585-8ed1-032d8e94d181" original-width="2884" original-height="2135" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hemmings-george/h468RYvs/"]George Hemmings[/a] should have equalised immediately on just his second Villa start, but the 19-year-old shot straight at Safonov.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zaire-emery-warren/neJeseDL/"]Warren Zaire-Emery[/a] denied Villa debutant [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-gomes/rcOLZhUD/"]Joao Gomes[/a] with a fantastic block 17 minutes from time, before lively substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alysson/2m3ojzuh/"]Alysson[/a] sent an inviting ball across the six-yard box that was begging for a touch.[/p][p]However, PSG held on to leave their former manager Unai Emery still waiting to lift the Super Cup after four attempts, while opposite number Enrique has now won the competition three times.[/p][embed guid="f5c2eb64-86c5-4564-b260-ab1bd4c48c8c" url="https://x.com/PSG_inside/status/2087644861155406202" social-type="twitter" /][p]The past two of those victories have come against English opposition, having beaten [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham Hotspur[/a] 12 months ago, with Les Parisiens now undefeated in 11 matches against Premier League sides (W10, D1).[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pacho-william/KA5AQsy0/"]Willian Pacho[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/psg-CjhkPw0k/?mid=GnSGwOrJ"]See all the stats from the match here[/a][/b][/p]