Paris St-Germain claimed the European Super Cup title after Désiré Doué scored a dramatic second-half goal against Aston Villa. Initially flagged offside by the linesman, the 60th-minute strike survived a lengthy VAR review that proved decisive in the hard-fought final.
How Désiré Doué Silenced the Stadium Before VAR Intervened
The European Super Cup final between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa hung in the balance at 1-1 during the second half when the match turned on a razor-thin attacking sequence.
Hakimi then fed Ousmane Dembélé, who had dropped deep to collect the ball. The PSG star scanned the pitch and slid a pass forward to Désiré Doué. At first glance, the former Stade Rennais player appeared well offside as he raced past the Villa defensive line, prompting players to raise their arms in protest. Doué drove into the penalty area and curled a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Bizot, who was standing in as a replacement for Dibu Martínez. Convinced he was caught in an offside position by the assistant referee’s raised flag, the 21-year-old prodigy did not even celebrate.
The Millimeter VAR Review That Overturned the Offside Flag
What followed was a tense period of confusion that left players, fans, and coaching staff in suspense. Somali referee Omar Artan paused the match to allow the video assistant referee system to examine the phase of play, leading to a long delay of on-field uncertainty. Everyone in the stadium assumed the goal would be chalked off.
However, UEFA’s review system revealed that Poland right-back Matty Cash had dropped completely out of position and extended his leg, keeping Doué onside by the narrowest of margins. Despite a protracted argument led by Aston Villa captain John McGinn, the officiating crew upheld the goal. The decision gave Paris St-Germain a 2-1 lead in a match where nobody—not even PSG manager Luis Enrique or his bench—expected the strike to stand.
A Surreal Build-Up to a Contentious European Trophy
The extraordinary finish capped off a high-stakes encounter that tested both sides. Luis Enrique admitted ahead of the fixture that preparing his squad without their World Cup stars created a surreal atmosphere for the club. Yet the delayed celebration from Doué’s clever run ultimately injected new life into the Parisian side when they needed it most.
By going to ground and staying with his attacking idea until the very end, Doué managed to alter the landscape of the Super Cup. While the defense protested and the officials deliberated, the VAR technology vindicated the forward’s run down to the millimeter, securing a most unusual and fiercely contested title for Paris St-Germain.
