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Lee Kang-in goal inspires PSG comback to lift UEFA Super Cup

Published: 14 Aug. 2025, 12:41 Updated: 14 Aug. 2025, 12:47

Paris Saint-Germain celebrate winning the UEFA Super Cup at Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, on Aug. 13. [AP/YONHAP]

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Lee Kang-in scored a goal in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur — ending with a 4-3 win on penalties for the French club — in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, becoming the second Korean to lift the trophy after former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung in 2008.

PSG were trailing 2-0 at Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, after Micky van de Ven opened the scoring in the 39th minute and Cristian Romero doubled that lead with a header in the 48th minute.

But Lee was there in the 85th minute to smash in a shot on the edge of the penalty box and give PSG hopes of a comeback. Gonçalo Ramos then set up the eventual comeback in stoppage time by converting a tidy cross from Ousmane Dembélé, forcing a penalty shootout.

The Super Cup match goes straight to penalties if it ends in a draw after 90 minutes in order to reduce the risk of injuries for players, who have just completed preseason action.

PSG’s first shot taker, Vitinha, missed his shot, but the rest of the four, including Lee, found the back of the net for a 4-3 win on penalties, securing the Ligue 1 club’s first Super Cup.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in scores a penalty during a shootout in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur at Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, on Aug. 13. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The Super Cup marks another success for PSG, who enjoyed the most successful season in the club’s history throughout the 2024-25 campaign, during which the French giants won their first Champions League on top of Ligue 1, French Cup and the Trophée des Champions titles.

Wednesday’s title match did not turn out to be a Korean derby, as Son Heung-min left Spurs to join Los Angeles FC earlier this month. Had he played in the match, it would have been the first Korean derby in the Super Cup.

Lee, meanwhile, has now lifted every possible trophy at PSG apart from the Club World Cup, which the squad was close to clinching this summer. PSG went to the final of the expanded Club World Cup but lost to Chelsea.

The 24-year-old has been linked with a move to Manchester United, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Napoli since he began to see fewer minutes in the second half of last season, but no reports as of press time Thursday suggest that he is close to signing a deal with any club.

The 2025-26 Ligue 1 campaign would be Lee’s third season in France.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom staff.
BY SONG JI-HOON [[email protected]]