Nerves gave way? Mendes sent off for striking opponent's face in French Super Cup clash

PSG defender Nuno Mendes found himself at the center of controversy in the dying moments of the French Super Cup against Lens. The Portuguese full-back came off the bench, only to be sent off after just 27 minutes on the pitch.

Mendes got tangled up in a challenge and lashed out with his arm, catching his opponent square in the face. The referee wasted no time showing him a straight red card, leveling the playing field for the final minutes of the match.

Remarkably, the sending-off was one of the final twists in a match that ended in disappointment for the Parisians. Lens managed to hold onto their slender lead and clinched a 1-0 victory. The only goal of the night came from Florian Thauvin.

It was a night to forget for PSG. The reigning champions couldn't recover after conceding, and to make matters worse, lost one of their key defenders in the closing stages. As a result, PSG surrendered the trophy to Lens, bringing their four-year French Super Cup winning streak to an abrupt end.

For Lens, this triumph marked their first-ever Super Cup title. Mendes' dismissal was the dramatic finale to a tense ending, with PSG unable to salvage the match.