Champions League title holders Bayern Munich on Thursday night added to their rich trophy cabinet, pipping current Europa League champions, Sevilla, 2-1 after extra time to win their second UEFA Super Cup title in history, Completesports.com reports.
Bayern who won their first UEFA Super Cup in 2013, lifted their second in style with a hard-fought win against a gallant Sevilla side that battled throughout 120 minutes at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.
Hans-Dieter Flick’s side has thus started the 2020/2021 season on a title-winning note following the Bavarians’ 2019/2020 treble, including winning their 30th Bundesliga, 20th German Cup and sixth Champions League titles.
Sevilla, the 1996 UEFA Super Cup winners and six-time Europa League champions , went out fighting to neutralize Bayern’s early dominance. And it paid off in the 11th minute.
English referee, Anthony Taylor, needed VAR to confirm his initial call that Bayern’s David Alaba pushed Ivan Rakitic inside the box. He awarded Sevilla a penalty-kick and yellow-carded Alaba. And Lucas Ocampos beat Manuel Neuer from the spot in the 13th minute for Sevilla 1-0 lead.
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Leon Goretzka equalized for Bayern in the 34th minute, making no mistake from Robert Lewandowski’s pass inside the area. And the scoreline remained 1-1 at halftime.
Sevilla came very close to restoring lead just after the break, but Neuer saved brilliantly, turning Luuk de Jonk’s effort away in the 46th minute.
Referee Taylor consulted VAR again in the 51st before disallowing Lewandowski’s goal for offside.
Sergio Escudero was fouled by Lewandowski before Leroy Sane netted for Bayern in the 63rd minute which was again nullified after another VAR check.
Yousseff En Nesyri fluffed an opportunity to put Sevilla ahead in the 88th minute as Neuer denied him with a great save.
Overall, Hans-Dieter Flick’s men had better possession, but Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla were resilient battlers, a job they did well to force the game into extra time.
Javier Martinez who replaced Lucas Hernandez in the 99th minute nodded home the winner for Bayern Munich in the 104th minute.
By Nnamdi Ezekute
1 Comment
Bayern Munich did well.