DOHA, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Goalkeeper Matvei Safonov saved four penalties as Paris Saint-Germain edged Flamengo in a shootout to win the FIFA Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday.
The sides were meeting for the first time in a FIFA event, and PSG thought it had taken an early lead when Fabian Ruiz finished after nine minutes, only for the effort to be ruled out because the ball had gone out of play in the buildup.
PSG went ahead in the 38th minute when Agustin Rossi could only push Desire Doue's cross into the path of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who tapped in from close range.
Flamengo drew level around the hour after winning a penalty, which former Italy international Jorginho converted with his trademark hop-skip-and-jump run-up.
PSG had a chance to win it in regulation time when Ousmane Dembele rolled the ball across for Marquinhos, but the defender missed from close range.
After extra time ended goalless, the match went to penalties. Dembele and Bradley Barcola both missed for PSG, but Safonov denied four spot-kicks from the second round onward as PSG won the shootout 2-1 and the match 3-2 on aggregate.
The victory marked PSG's sixth major trophy of 2025 after it lifted the French Super Cup, Ligue 1, the French Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup. ■
