Manchester City edged a penalty shootout against Sevilla on Wednesday night to secure their first ever UEFA Super Cup, following a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes.
Youssef En-Nesyri handed Sevilla the lead in the first half, before Cole Palmer equalised for a City side well shy of their best with just over an hour gone. With no extra-time, both sides were flawless over the first nine penalties in the shootout until Nemanja Gudelj struck the bar with the tenth.
On a sweltering night in the Athenian port of Piraeus, both teams found it difficult to find any dynamism, happy to knock the ball about rather than really bust a gut to get ahead.
Palmer had a couple of early chances for City, while Yassine Bounou had to be alert to push a Jack Grealish shot to safety. Sevilla had made the brighter start in the opening minutes, although it wasn’t until the game resumed after the first half drinks break that they made their mark.
Marcos Acuna’s cross from the left was inch-perfect for En-Nesyri to head Sevilla into the lead, rising between Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol in the middle of the penalty area.
En-Nesyri squandered a glorious chance to double Sevilla’s lead soon after half-time, the result of an excellent run from Lucas Ocampos skipping past Kyle Walker. The striker was presented the ball on a plate in front of goal, but his finish lacked conviction and was straight at Ederson’s legs. En-Nesyri then fired another shot, albeit from a less favourable position, wide moments later.
It was an uncharacteristically sloppy period for City and Sevilla’s Jordan also stung Ederson’s palms from a free-kick. The Brazilian was also smart to deny En-Nesyri another opening.
City’s equaliser after an hour was against the run of play. Rodri’s in-swinging cross from the left looked as though it was aimed at Erling Haaland, mostly starved of service, but it was Palmer coming in round the back who connected instead to send the ball across goal into the net.
Palmer’s goal gave him confidence and a curling short was soon pushed away by Bounou. The Moroccan goalkeeper saved from Kyle Walker and Grealish as City pressure built, while Ake was frustrated in stoppage time when his bouncing header was tipped over.
Penalty shootout
Man City: Haaland (scored), Alvarez (scored), Kovacic (scored), Grealish (scored), Walker (scored)
Sevilla: Ocampos (scored), Mir (scored), Rakitic (scored), Montiel (scored), Gudelj (missed)
Man City player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Ederson - 7/10 - Kept City in the tie at 1-0 in a personal battle with En-Nesyri.
RB: Kyle Walker (c) - 6/10 - Given nightmares by Ocampos. Made some good forays forward.
CB: Manuel Akanji - 6/10 - Almost flawless in possession but a challenging night.
CB: Nathan Ake - 6/10 - Stood no chance jumping with En-Nesyri for the opening goal. Went close to scoring right at the end.
LB: Josko Gvardiol - 5/10 - Could he have done more to limit En-Nesyri's movement to help his centre-back, having had a clearer view of the unfolding situation?
CM: Rodri - 7/10 - Passed and passed and passed. His cross for the equaliser was delightful.
CM: Mateo Kovacic - 6/10 - Did the basics but not much more.
RM: Cole Palmer - 7/10 - A couple of early strikes at goal but got little change out of Acuna for a solid hour. Took the equaliser well and grew with confidence after that.
AM: Phil Foden - 5/10 - Disappointingly ineffective.
LM: Jack Grealish - 7/10 - Probably City's best source of creativity in an otherwise stale first half.
ST: Erling Haaland - 5/10 - Saw so little of the ball, just 15 touches.
Substitutes
SUB: Julian Alvarez (85' for Palmer) - 6/10
Subs not used: Ortega (GK), Carson (GK), Gomez, Diaz, Lewis, Stones, Laporte, Perrone, Phillips, McAtee, Bobb
Manager
Pep Guardiola - 6/10 - Will expect more from his side moving forward, although he didn't do a lot to try and change the game in this one either.
Sevilla player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Bounou (7); RB: Navas (7), CB: Bade (7), CB: Gudelj (6), LB: Acuna (7); CM: Jordan (6), CM: Rakitic (6); RM: Ocampos (7), AM: Torres (6), LM: Lamela (7); ST: En-Nesyri (7)
Subs: Juanlu (6), Montiel (6), Suso (n/a), Mir (n/a)
Subs not used: Dmitrovic (GK), Salas, Gattoni, Pedrosa, Bueno, Sow, Corona, Gomez
