Failing to gain the prestige of other continental competitions, the European Supercup proved once again that it knew how to spare the suspense. For the fourth time in five years, the traditional gala match between the champions and the Europa League has decided well beyond normal time, after 120 minutes of play. an indecisive penalty shoot-out that Liverpool clinched the first title of his 2019/20 season, winning against Chelsea (2-2, 5-4 tab).
After missing the opportunity to win the Community Shield, ten days earlier, against Manchester City, the Reds confirm that their season is well launched this time. For the Blues, however, the disappointment will be all the more difficult to swallow it comes a few days after a very heavy loss in the Premier League Premier League against Manchester United (4-0).
After a very good start to the match of Liverpool, in a Beşiktaş Park of Istanbul totally won over to his cause, it is however the Blues who took things in hand. Pedro, in particular, found the transversal Adrian after a one-two with Olivier Giroud (22nd), but it is only after the half hour of play that the Londoners found the flaw, thanks to the world champion French, well served in depth and inspired at the moment of taking the left (1-0, 36e).
Mané sees double
Not really convincing in the first period, Liverpool took advantage of the return to the locker room to get his head back to the place. As soon as the restart, Mané put the two teams tied by concluding at close range a second ball, after an attempt by Firmino repulsed by Kepa (1-1, 48th).
More in legs after the hour of play against tired Blues, the Reds have pushed until the end of regulation time, but never succeed in doubling the bet. The fault, in particular, to an excellent Kepa, who has achieved a superb double break at the start of the last quarter of an hour, outing coup shot attempts Salah and Van Dijk on his left amount (75th).
It is therefore beyond the additional time that the title was played. In the "money time", Liverpool hit first, again by his Senegalese striker, who has not missed the opportunity to improve the excellent pass behind Firminho. His shot, which flirted with the bar, restored the advantage to the Reds (2-1, 95th).
Adrian, at fault and decisive
But even back to the wall, the Blues have managed to keep a bit of going. Five minutes later, it was a stroke of luck that allowed them to return to the match, when the referee of the match, the French Stephanie Frappart, decided to whistle a penalty for an irregular exit of Adrian in the feet of Abraham. A sentence that the Italian midfielder Jorginho converted with cold blood (2-2, 101st).
It was therefore on penalties that the decision was finally made. An exercise that did not smile to the youngest Abraham, gravedigger of Chelsea's hopes since his attempt by Adrian sealed the fate of this meeting (2-2, 5-4 tab). All the more frustrating for the Blues, as Kepa, a few seconds earlier, was close to pulling out Origi's and Alexander-Arnold's attempts.
It will have taken a right hand a little firmer for Chelsea to lift his first trophy of the year. But in the damp of the night Istanbul, it is indeed the reigning European champion who triumphed.