Manchester City gained their first silverware of the marketing campaign as Pep Guardiola’s aspect survived a sloppy begin to triumph on spot-kicks towards Sevilla and raise the UEFA Super Cup.
Having misplaced the Community Shield to Arsenal on penalties 10 days in the past, final season’s swashbuckling treble winners initially wilted within the Greek warmth versus the Europa League holders.
Youssef En-Nesyri put Sevilla forward and City rode their luck, solely to attract stage by way of Cole Palmer’s looping header as their maiden Super Cup look ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and went to a shoot-out.
The first 9 penalty takers all transformed earlier than Nemanja Gudelj smashed his effort off the crossbar, seeing Guardiola’s Champions League winners triumph 5-4 on spot-kicks in Piraeus.
The Spaniard grew to become the primary supervisor to win the Super Cup with three completely different groups and equalled Carlo Ancelotti’s report of 4 competitors victories as coach.
City are the sixth English aspect to raise the trophy however had been made to sweat by Jose Luis Mendilibar’s Sevilla, who went forward by way of En-Nesyri’s highly effective first-half header.
The LaLiga outfit might simply have grabbed a second throughout a robust begin to the second interval, just for man of the match Palmer to equalise with a header.
Sevilla survived a late City onslaught however couldn’t keep away from a sixth straight Super Cup defeat because the match handed midnight and went to penalties on the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium.
Recent signing Josko Gvardiol made his full debut in Greece, the place Kevin De Bruyne was lacking having sustained a hamstring challenge meaning he may face surgical procedure and as much as 4 months out.
Kyle Walker as an alternative wore the captain’s armband and City followers sung their injured star’s identify within the opening minutes, with Yassine Bounou clawing away a clumsy early Nathan Ake header.
The Sevilla goalkeeper produced one other high quality cease as Jack Grealish jinked away from consideration and tried to whip in from the sting of the field.
Gvardiol lashed over following a Bounou punch and went on to obtain detailed directions from Guardiola throughout a cooling break halfway by way of the opening interval.
The City boss will doubtless have extra to say to the Croatia worldwide following Sevilla’s Twenty fifth-minute opener.
A pushed ball from Bounou was in a position to attain the centre circle and play continued out to the left, the place Marcos Acuna whipped over a cross for En-Nesyri to energy in a header off the submit having acquired between Ake and Gvardiol.
Erik Lamela struck vast as Sevilla sought a quickfire second as City discovered the Spanish aspect’s backbone arduous to interrupt down. Rodri headed over and Grealish noticed a stoppage-time cross simply fail to discover a goal.
Penalty appeals towards Gvardiol had been ignored when play resumed and Sevilla wasted a wonderful probability to make it 2-0 within the fiftieth minute.
Lucas Ocampos left out a Walker problem and raced down the left, persevering with to ship a pinpoint ball throughout for En-Nesyri to strike straight at Ederson.
The annoyed striker fizzed an effort vast quickly after and Joan Jordan noticed a knuckleball free-kick saved as City struggled.
Ocampos hit a cross-shot vast and a slight Walker contact prevented En-Nesyri getting away one other close-range try.
City lacked defensive solidity and attacking coherency, however Palmer supplied a 63rd minute shot within the arm.
Rodri floated a cross that went over Erling Haaland however discovered the 21-year-old, who stretched to beat Bounou with a header as he added to his Community Shield aim.
En-Nesyri instantly noticed an try and put Sevilla again forward stopped however momentum had swung City’s approach, with a Palmer effort being pushed behind earlier than a drinks break.
Sevilla had misplaced their composure on the ball however retained the nous and arduous work they’ve lengthy been related to.
Walker noticed a cross deflected throughout the face of aim and Grealish thrashed an effort at Bounou as City tried to punish drained Sevilla.
Bounou tipped over one other Ake header into the bottom and Walker flashed over from distance however there was to be no late winner because the match went to penalties.
Gudelj’s thumping 12-yard effort got here again off the bar to spark City celebrations.