Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Flamengo (aet, 2-1 pens): Safonov saves four spot-kicks in Intercontinental Cup triumph
Luis Enrique led Paris Saint-Germain to their first global title on Wednesday, beating Flamengo on penalties in the Intercontinental Cup.
Matvey Safonov saved four of Flamengo's five penalties as Paris Saint-Germain beat the Copa Libertadores holders on spot-kicks to win the Intercontinental Cup, following a 1-1 draw in Qatar.
Starting in place of Lucas Chevalier, the Russian's heroics ensured the European champions captured their first global title, having finished as Club World Cup runners-up in July.
Fabian Ruiz thought he had put PSG ahead just 10 minutes in, finishing brilliantly with the outside of his left boot after Flamengo goalkeeper Agustin Rossi raced out to clear and was caught off his line. However, after a VAR review, it was ruled that the ball had gone out before Rossi hacked it away from the byline.
But the European champions continued to press and got the breakthrough in the 38th minute, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tucking home after Rossi got a weak palm to Desire Doue's centre.
But Flamengo were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark, following a VAR review, with Marquinhos deemed to have fouled Giorgian de Arrascaeta. Jorginho stepped up for the spot-kick and sent Safonov the wrong way.
Luis Enrique threw Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele on in search of a winner, but they were forced to go the distance after Marquinhos failed to turn the winger's cross home.
Dembele and Nuno Mendes went close in extra time, with the former also blazing wildly over the crossbar from PSG's second kick in the shoot-out, with Bradley Barcola also seeing his effort saved by Rossi.
However, those misses proved irrelevant as Safonov saved all but one of Flamengo's five kicks, denying Saul, Pedro, Leo Pereira and Luiz Araujo.
Data Debrief: Six of the best for PSG
PSG may have come up short against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, but they will end 2025 having won six trophies – the Trophee des Champions, Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
Neither the previous iteration of the Intercontinental Cup (held from 1960 to 2004) nor the Club World Cup (2000, 2005 to present) have previously been won by a French club.
They had to stay patient for this success, firing off 23 shots to Flamengo's 11 and amassing 1.92 expected goals (xG) to their opponents' 1.25 (0.79 from Jorginho's penalty).
