FC Bayern 2-1 Sevilla
Bayern added the UEFA Super Cup to their recent haul of trophies after Javi Martinez scored an extra-time winner to see off a spirited Sevilla side.
It’s barely a month since FC Bayern picked up the Champions League title with a final victory over Paris Saint Germain and Sevilla beat Inter Milan to win the Europa League. But that’s the world we live in currently, as the games come thick and fast throughout Europe’s top leagues.
That can only be good news for SBOTOP fans; and the players are responding superbly, producing high quality and exciting football — and tonight’s showcase in Hungary was no exception.
Highlights of the game
There was the unusual but welcome sight of fans in the Ferenc Puskas Stadium, and the Sevilla contingent had something to cheer as early as the 13th minute. After a quiet start to the game, Ivan Rakitic made a run into the penalty area to meet a header from Luuk de Jong and was clattered into by David Alaba, giving referee Anthony Taylor no option but to point to the spot.
Argentina star Lucas Ocampos had a superb season in 2019/20, and he was the man to take the pressure, which he did with ease, sending Manuel Neuer the wrong way to give the Andalusians an early lead. That made it six penalty conversions from six for Ocampo in all competitions.
The prolific Bayern strike partnership of Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller almost produced an equaliser midway through the first half; though it was a role reversal as Lewandowski pulled the ball back for Muller who looked certain to score until Jules Kounde made a superb block. The French defender is a target for Manchester City, and if Pep Guardiola was watching the UEFA Super Cup 2020 highlights, he might just be tempted to meet Sevilla’s 90m Euro asking price.
With half an hour on the clock, we saw the rare spectacle of Lewandowski fluffing his shot when clean through on goal, but the Pole made amends four minutes later with a lovely assist, laying the ball off to Leon Goretzka who side-footed home from eight yards.
Sevilla almost retook the lead with the first action of the second period but Neuer reacted quickly to turn De Jong’s header around the post. And the Dutch striker was ruing his chance when the Bundesliga champions went up the other end and appeared to take the lead.
Lewandowski opened his account this season in Bayern’s opening Bundesliga fixture against Schalke and he rounded off a beautiful Bayern move, but his celebrations were cut short when VAR intervened and chalked off the goal for a marginal offside.
Die Bayern began to ramp up the pressure and Leroy Sane came so close to scoring, but his effort was cleared off the line by Diego Carlos, and then the former Manchester City man was also denied by VAR after a second effort was chalked off when Lewandowski was adjudged to have fouled Sergio Escudero in the build up.
As the clock ran down, Yousseff En Nesryi had a chance to win the match but Neuer saved brilliantly in the last big action of 90 minutes.
The pre-match UEFA Super Cup 2020 betting odds had the 90-minute draw at 5.22, and while Bayern had bossed the play Sevilla had carried a threat too in an end to end game.
En Nesryi hit the post with the first shot of extra time, but he looked marginally offside and then, ten minutes into the 30, Flick made a change, bringing on Javi Martinez to replace goal scorer Goretzka.
That was an inspired switch as the Spanish midfielder hit his countrymen with a hammer blow. When Bono punched out an effort from Alaba, he could only reach Martinez who headed the ball back into the empty net.
Key statistics
By the end of 90 minutes, Bayern had enjoyed 65 per cent of the possession and won the shot count by 15 to five, but both sides had four shots on target.
They both came into the game with long unbeaten runs which were preserved in the 90 minutes, Bayern moving to 29 and Sevilla 24.
Die Bayern upped their shots on target tally to seven in extra time, and that proved enough to win the trophy.
What’s next?
Next up Die Bayern head up to the Rhein for a Bundesliga clash against Hoffenheim, having hammered Schalke 8-0 in their opener. Die Kraichgauer are a strong outfit, finishing sixth last season, and they made a good start to the new campaign with a 2-3 victory away to Cologne, Croatian striker Andrej Kramaric scoring a hat-trick, which makes him Bundesliga joint top scorer with Serge Gnabry.
How long will those two forwards be able to hold off Lewandowski? That’s the question!
Sevilla open their La Liga account on Sunday with a trip to newly-promoted Cadiz. Their opponents are back in the top flight after a 14-year absence and they picked up their first win of the new campaign with a 0-2 win away to SD Huesca, having lost their opener to Osasuna by the same scoreline.
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