Pep Talk at Half-time Changes Super Cup Script
Bayern Munich 2 Chelsea 2 (aet) - Bayern win 5-4 on pens
Goalscorers: 0-1 Torres (8′) 1-1 Ribéry (47′) 1-2 Hazard (94′) 2-2 Martinez (120′)
Penalties: 1-0 Alaba, 1-1 Luiz, 2-1 Kroos, 2-2 Oscar, 3-2 Lahm, 3-3 Lampard, 4-3 Ribéry, 4-4 Cole, 5-4 Shaqiri, 5-4 Lukaku (saved by Neuer)
Mark Lovell’s thoughts from Prague
Oh you cynics. Some suggested this was simply a pointless, UEFA money making exercise, and we were set for a drab, low-key fixture to blow away the early season cobwebs. How wrong that proved to be.
In a tempestuous, action-packed affair, Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich twice came from behind to beat Jose Mourinho’s 10-man Chelsea and win the 2013 UEFA Super Cup on penalties at the Eden Arena in Prague.
Most of the build up to this game had centred on the resumption of hostilities between Guardiola and Mourinho. Their simmering feud lingers from their respective times in charge in Spain - the self-appointed ‘Special One’ at Real Madrid and Pep, of course, at Barcelona. Others chose to concentrate on Franck Ribéry’s crowning as European Player of the Year, and the Frenchman was to play a starring role in proceedings.
Bayern were woken from their slumber as early as the eight minute. The Bavarians were clinically dissected by a brilliant move by the Europa League winners. Ex-Leverkusen star Andre Schuerrle rampaged down the right, crossed to Fernando Torres in the box who finished with his old aplomb to put the underdogs ahead.
Ribéry visibly raised his game after digesting the shock of going behind and was ultimately the Reds standout player on the night. The Frenchman’s radar was a little off during an even 45 minutes but he wasted little time just after the break. His skidding low drive from 25 yards deceived Petr Cech, putting the Champions League winners back on level terms.
Jose Mourinho and his team came up just short in a thrilling encounter full of unexpected desire to win. Photo: DPA
Chelsea were always dangerous from set plays with Bayern’s backline looking a shadow of its former self. Manuel Neuer made a smart save from Oscar after another Dante blackout.
The introduction of Javi Martinez as a 56th minute substitute allowed skipper Phillip Lahm to revert to his more familiar full-back role and gave Bayern a more solid shape.
In a game littered with yellow cards and petty fouls, the contest soon descended into a niggly, feisty match reminiscent of many ‘El Clasico’s’ of yesteryear. Ramires was given his marching orders (second yellow) on 85 minutes for hacking down Mario Götze, much to Mourinho’s dismay.
Extra time arrived and soon enough, the depleted Blues led again despite their man disadvantage. Eden Hazard’s fizzing shot from just inside the area eluded Neuer, giving the 10 men something to hold onto. Bayern were then repeatedly thwarted by Chelsea goalkeeper Cech who made a string of fantastic saves, most notably from Mario Mandžukić and Martinez from point blank range. Substitue Xherdan Shaqiri was also denied by a last ditch clearance from Gary Cahill as Bayern dominated the second period of extra time.
With seconds remaining, Martinez fired the ball home from a dubiously offside position to send the 5,200 travelling Bayern fans into ecstasy. It was quite literally the last kick of added time.
The 2012 Champions League final between the sides in Munich had been decided on spot-kicks (ending in Chelsea’s favour). On this occasion, after nine flawless (with the exception of maybe Shaqiri whose effort was nearly saved by Cech) conversions towards the boisterous Bayern block, Chelsea’s Belgian substitute Romelu Lukaku saw his tame effort parried by Neuer, handing the Super Cup spoils to Bayern.
It meant something too. Bayern wanted revenge for that bitter Champions League defeat in their own backyard and this last- gasp victory will help exorcise any remaining demons leftover from the fiasco ‘dahoam‘.
Bayern Munich: Neuer - Rafinha, (56’ Martinez), Boateng, Dante, Alaba - Lahm, Robben (96′ Shaqiri), Müller (73′ Götze), Kroos, Ribéry - Mandžukić
Chelsea: Cech - Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole - Ramires, Lampard - Schuerrle (87′ Mikel), Oscar, Hazard (113′ Terry) - Torres (98′ Lukaku)
Yellow Cards: Ribery, Boateng - Cahill, David Luiz, Fernando Torres, Lukaku, Cole, Ramires
Red Cards: Ramires
Referee: Jonas Eriksson
Attendance: 17,686 (Eden Arena, Prague)
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