In their first Super Cup victory, Manchester City clinched the title. Sevilla took the lead in the first half with En-Nesyri’s header, which was countered by Palmer’s arcing header. City successfully converted all their penalties, but Sevilla’s chance was squandered as Gudelj missed, leading to their defeat.
Trailing during regular play, Manchester City mounted a comeback to overcome Sevilla in a penalty shootout, capturing their inaugural Super Cup championship. Confronted with an unusual chance to secure a trophy absent from their collection, City initially grappled with the task at hand and conceded the lead due to Youssef En-Nesyri’s dominant header.
Sevilla’s forward encountered multiple rejections from Ederson during the latter part of the second half. His failure to capitalize on opportunities ended up being a costly mistake, as Cole Palmer adeptly angled a header over Yassine Bounou, restoring equilibrium to the scoreline.
Approaching the end of the match, City’s display improved, and they nearly secured a win in extra time as Bounou swiftly saved Nathan Ake’s attempt. Nonetheless, City achieved their sought-after victory as Nemanja Gudelj’s pivotal penalty struck the crossbar during the shootout, allowing Pep Guardiola to claim his fourth Super Cup, equalling a record.
How City obtained their first trophy of the season?
After finally attaining the much-desired Champions League championship they had pursued for nearly two decades, City made effective use of their exclusive qualification for the Super Cup event. However, the team that achieved the treble victory encountered significant difficulties during their match against Sevilla.
Despite Sevilla’s triumph in the previous season’s Europa League, they also struggled in LaLiga, finishing in the mid-table position and anticipated to lose key players before the transfer window closed.
While Ake and Jack Grealish posed challenges in the initial half, it was Sevilla that managed to establish a lead. Executing a flawless counterattack, they capitalized on En-Nesyri’s supremacy over Ake and Josko Gvardiol to skillfully convert Marcos Acuna’s cross into a goal.
Gvardiol’s initiation into City’s starting lineup proved to be a demanding affair, while Erling Haaland similarly struggled to make an impact during the initial 45 minutes, completing only a solitary pass.
Haaland’s involvement continued to be limited in the second half, while En-Nesyri emerged as a more promising threat to find the goal. Sevilla consistently capitalized on City’s turnovers, placing them at a disadvantage.
Amid City’s difficulties against Sevilla’s resolute defense, the task of rejuvenating the more experienced players fell to academy talent Palmer, who accomplished this by converting Rodri’s accurately delivered cross.
Manchester City 1-1 (5-4) Sevilla match highlights 🎬 Man City adds the Europe Super Cup to their trophy list!#SuperCup #MCISEV #SEVMCI #مانشستر_سيتي #السوبر_الأوروبي pic.twitter.com/vgQi5u57mE
— AlAudhli العوذلي (@alaudhli) August 17, 2023
In the closing moments of the match, City gradually regained their typical form, confining Sevilla within their own penalty area for a considerable portion of the last 20 minutes. Nevertheless, the Spanish side stood firm, with Bounou making another save, this time from Ake, and Haaland’s solitary clear chance of the night being blocked.
Haaland efficiently dispatched the initial penalty during the shootout, a achievement echoed by the following eight participants in succession. This entrusted Gudelj with the pivotal duty of scoring and ensuring his team’s continuation in the competition.
Yet, Gudelj’s effort struck the crossbar, leading to Sevilla’s sixth successive defeat in Super Cup showings. Conversely, City successfully evaded a second successive shootout loss, having previously experienced one against Arsenal in the Community Shield earlier this month.
Pep directs his attention towards the goal of winning the Club World Cup
After their triumph in Athens, Guardiola has turned his attention to pursuing victory in the Club World Cup, set to take place in December. Reflecting on the situation, Guardiola stated, “While we may not be in peak form right now, I had a feeling that given the players and the mindset of the coaching staff, we would certainly make an effort.”
He went on to say, “Claiming a title at this early stage of the season brings us immense gratification. It’s particularly special for the club, given that it’s a title we hadn’t secured before.”
Guardiola underscored, “We’re just one step away from completing the full circle and accomplishing the remarkable achievement of winning every possible title for this club. Our opportunity to make this a reality awaits us in December, when we travel to Saudi Arabia to compete in the Club World Cup.”
In conclusion, he expressed his genuine delight, stating, “I’m truly pleased. The match was fiercely contested, reminiscent of our loss to Inter in the Champions League final and our defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield. In these stages and moments, football can be akin to a coin toss.”
Guardiola credits Ederson’s saves for our triumph
Guardiola recognized Ederson’s contribution to upholding City’s stance in the game. The Brazilian goalkeeper built upon his exceptional showing from the prior season’s Champions League triumph over Inter Milan, once again presenting a pivotal performance in the final.
“We were lucky that Ederson, akin to the Inter Milan final, stepped up for us in critical moments,” remarked Guardiola. “I can recall several finals where the goalkeeper emerged as the linchpin.” He went on, “Nevertheless, the match as a whole displayed a high level of quality. Notably, our performance saw a marked improvement during the last half-hour of the second period.”
In addition, Guardiola praised the impact of Palmer, though he admitted to having uncertainties regarding the winger’s future with the club as the September 1 transfer window deadline approaches.
“I’m uncertain about how things will unfold,” the City manager remarked. “I’m inclined to think that a loan arrangement is unlikely. The options seem to be either he stays or we contemplate a sale; however, the prospect of a loan seems improbable.”
He went on, “Challenging defenders like Acuna is no small feat. Palmer is a young player, and participating in a final comes with its unique challenges. He performed impressively and secured a remarkable goal.”
Palmer making the most of his opportunity at City
The recent surge in Cole Palmer’s performance should unquestionably dismiss any notions of his potential departure from Etihad Stadium, a topic that has garnered attention in recent weeks.
Cole Palmer heads home City’s leveler!
— BangBet Ghana (@BangbetGhana) August 16, 2023
63’ 🏴 Man City 1:1 Sevilla 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/cNNja7BsmY
While the English U21 international has long been acclaimed as a promising talent emerging from the City academy, his advancement has been impeded by the presence of established stars in City’s formidable attacking lineup, further compounded by setbacks due to injuries.
However, the present circumstances appear to be working in Palmer’s favor. Having successfully navigated the pre-season with the first team unharmed, he is now in excellent condition and unmistakably showcasing his form, as evidenced by his accomplishments in scoring goals in both of City’s recent finals this month.
Palmer is also capitalizing on the openings left by Riyad Mahrez’s transfer to Saudi Arabia and Kevin De Bruyne’s injury, which could potentially result in increased responsibilities for Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden in midfield.
Prior to the match, Pep Guardiola acknowledged that Palmer still has room for improvement, yet there’s no superior way to learn and evolve than consistent playing time under the guidance of the manager who has steered substantial success for Manchester’s blue contingent.
According to Opta statistics, England has demonstrated an outstanding performance history in the Super Cup
Manchester City has now become the sixth distinct English team to clinch victory in the Super Cup, representing the highest number of teams from a single nation to claim this honor. The other English clubs achieving this feat include Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest.
Out of the last eleven editions of the Super Cup, ten have been won by the winner of the previous season’s Champions League. Interestingly, these Champions League titleholders have also triumphed in all four penalty shootouts held within the competition.
Every single one of the four penalty shootouts in the history of the Super Cup has featured at least one English club. To provide specific examples, Bayern Munich emerged victorious against Chelsea in 2013, Liverpool defeated Chelsea in 2019, Chelsea overcame Villarreal in 2021, and most recently, Manchester City prevailed over Sevilla on Wednesday.
A particularly noteworthy aspect of Youssef En-Nesyri’s performance with Sevilla is that thirty-one percent of his goals across all competitions have been scored through headers (17 out of 55). What’s more, since his debut for the club in January 2020, he has scored more headed goals than any other player in LaLiga.
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