Shaw earns Albion a dramatic point against PSG

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Matthew Bishop

2025-12-14T14:45+00:00

Kofi Shaw celebrates his late leveller. 📸 By Bennett Dean.

Albion's men's under-21s came from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Paris Saint-Germain in a Premier League International Cup thriller on Sunday.

Goals in second-half stoppage time from Nehemiah Oriola and Kofi Shaw saw Shannon Ruth’s side snatch a point after Noham Kamara and Ilyes Housni scored either side of the break for PSG, who have already beaten Newcastle and Chelsea in this year’s International Cup.

Nehemiah Oriola scored from the spot. 📸 By Bennett Dean.

After a quiet opening quarter of an hour, Oriola was the first player from either side to test the opposition's goalkeeper when he collected Joe Belmont’s pass and cut inside, but the winger’s curling shot was well held by Arthur Vignaud.

That chance saw the game burst into life and four minutes later Yussif Owusu tried his luck from 30 yards but the midfielder’s stunning strike smashed against the post. Vignaud was left stranded and Belmont tapped home the rebound after the ball bounced back into the box, but the Albion forward was offside.

PSG responded to that scare with their first meaningful attack, and when Housni was brought down in the box after a mazy run, Kamara fired home from the penalty spot to open the scoring.

Yussif Owusu came so close to scoring a stunner. 📸 By Bennett Dean.

Housni caused more problems just after the half-hour mark but, after a well-worked short corner, the striker whipped a right-footed shot just over the bar and then moments later with his opposite foot, the ponytailed Parisian smacked the upright from 18 yards.

As the half-time whistle approached, Albion played some excellent football to create space for Aidan West on the left but after breezing past Mathias Lavenette, the winger’s inviting low cross was cleared - and then Owusu headed Shane Nti’s free-kick onto the roof of the net.

Ruth made a change at the break with Callum Mackley replacing Matthew Hayden and the full-back made an impact within five minutes of the restart when his neat pass released Noel Atom, but the centre-back’s shot flew wide.

Captain Joe Knight battling in midfield. 📸 By Bennett Dean.

Mackley then did well at the other end, blocking Noah Nsoki’s shot after the winger was freed on the left and cut inside, before another good West cross just evaded Oriola at the back post as the game started to open-up.

Shaw was at the heart of things when he came on with 30 minutes to go and it was his pass that put Jacob Parsons through on goal, but an excellent last-ditch challenge from Kamara denied the 16-year-old a certain equaliser.

Shaw and Parsons combined again with ten minutes to go but despite the latter’s cross causing chaos inside the penalty area, PSG managed to hack the ball clear and launch an attack that ended with Housni doubling their lead from close range.

Kofi Shaw equalising late on. 📸 By Bennett Dean.

The visitors celebrated as if the three points had been secured but Albion refused to lie down and nearly pulled one back immediately when Ben Barclay’s goalbound header deflected behind, before Parsons was brought down in the box and Oriola made no mistake from the spot in the 91st minute.

A frantic five minutes followed as Ruth’s side pushed for an equaliser, and they found it in fantastic fashion when Henry Kasvosve pulled the ball back to Shaw just inside the penalty area, who picked out the bottom corner perfectly in the 96th minute.

It was the least Albion deserved against the French giants and the Seagulls will be full of confidence when their International Cup campaign continues against Dinamo Zagreb in January.

Albion: Hall, Hayden (sub: Mackley 45), Barclay, Atom, Keogh (Mills 72), Oriola, Knight, Owusu (Shaw 62), West (Kasvosve 82), Nti, Belmont (Parsons 71).