SALZBURG, Austria – Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain rubber-stamped their status as Europe’s top team as they beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the Uefa Super Cup on Wednesday.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue netted either side of a debut goal for Villa teenager Brian Madjo in Salzburg as PSG defended the title they first won 12 months ago against another Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur.
The Super Cup, which pits the winners of Europe’s top club competition against the victorious side from the second-tier Europa League, was officiated by Somalian referee Omar Artan.
The 34-year-old referee unwittingly found himself in the media spotlight in June after being turned away on arrival at Miami International Airport, despite being part of the panel of referees selected by Fifa for the World Cup.
Ahead of the start of their respective domestic seasons, both sides named relatively strong sides.
PSG’s starting XI featured nine players that lifted the Champions League trophy against Arsenal in May, including Vitinha, Joao Neves and captain Marquinhos.
French left-back Lucas Digne, who on Sunday signed for the Parisians, was on the bench against his old side.
Villa rested World Cup campaigners Ezri Konsa, Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins, but Unai Emery handed debuts to midfielder Joao Gomes and striker Madjo.
Midfielder Boubacar Kamara also started for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in January.
Kvaratskhelia show
Kamara came closest to breaking the deadlock with a low effort from distance in the 13th minute, which Matvey Safonov watched by his post.
That served to wake PSG up as Marco Bizot parried away an effort at goal, only for the French side to recycle the ball to Kvaratskhelia on the left, who cut in on 20 minutes and scored with a piledriver at the near post.
The Georgian began to overwhelm the Villa defence as minutes later he released left-back Nuno Mendes, whose cut-back somehow evaded his on-rushing teammates.
But Villa withstood the flurry and should have been level just prior to the half-hour when Madjo glanced wide a John McGinn cross.
The 17-year-old saw another couple of good chances go by as it seemed like Emery’s charges would go into the break behind.
However, Madjo got his just reward as Scottish veteran McGinn picked him out again in the box in the 45th minute and this time he lashed the ball with his left boot into the roof of the PSG net.
Emery responded to the swing in fortunes by sending on Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele for new PSG recruit Maghnes Akliouche at half-time.
Villa kept up their head of steam after the interval, though, as Madjo and McGinn again combined to good effect, with the 31-year-old forcing Safonov to beat away his curling effort.
France international Desire Doue raced in down the right and bent into the Villa net on 61 minutes but was initially denied by the assistant’s flag.
VAR intervened, however, and found that Villa right-back Matty Cash on the far side of the pitch was playing the PSG winger onside and awarded the goal to Doue’s surprise and delight.
The Premier League side had a chance to strike back instantly through 19-year-old George Hemmings but Safonov stood strong to keep the score at 2-1.
Warren Zaire-Emery then had to fling himself in front of a Gomes effort.
Luis Enrique sent on World Cup winner Fabian Ruiz with a quarter of an hour remaining to help PSG shore up the centre of the park as Villa hunted a leveller.
Their best chance came inside the final 10 minutes as Tammy Abraham was just unable to reach Alysson’s cut-back inside the six-yard box.
The Qatar-backed Ligue 1 champions managed to hold on to make a winning start to their new season, which they hope will end with a third consecutive Champions League crown.