Man City 1-1 Sevilla (5-4 on penalties): European champions win first Super Cup after shootout success

Manchester City came from behind in normal time before beating Sevilla in a penalty shootout to win the Super Cup for the first time in their history.

Presented with the rare opportunity to claim a trophy that did not already have their name on it, City initially struggled to rise to the occasion and found themselves behind thanks to Youssef En-Nesyri's towering header.

The Sevilla striker went on to be denied by Ederson several times in the second period and was made to pay for his wastefulness when Cole Palmer looped a header over Yassine Bounou to equalise.

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City belatedly improved as the game headed towards the final whistle and almost won in stoppage time when Nathan Ake forced a sharp save from Bounou.

But City got the win they craved when Nemanja Gudelj missed the decisive penalty of the shootout, striking the bar and handing Pep Guardiola a record-equalling fourth Super Cup.

How City claimed their first trophy of the season

After finally claiming the elusive Champions League crown they had craved for the best part of two decades, City ultimately made the most of being granted access to the exclusive Super Cup.

But the treble winners made hard work of their meeting with Sevilla, who may have won the Europa League last season but also slumped to a mid-table finish in LaLiga and are set to lose key personnel before the transfer window closes.

Ake and Jack Grealish tested Bounou in the first half but it was Sevilla who opened the scoring when they executed a perfect counter attack, culminating in En-Nesyri dominating Ake and Josko Gvardiol to power in Marcos Acuna's cross.

Gvardiol continued to endure a difficult evening on his first start for City - as did Erling Haaland, who completed just one pass during a virtually anonymous opening 45 minutes.

The prolific striker was only marginally more involved in the second half, with En-Nesyri looking the more likely to find the net as Sevilla consistently exposed City when they turned over possession.

But with City beginning to bang their heads against the brick wall that was Sevilla's defence, it was left to academy product Palmer to reinvigorate his more experienced team-mates when he guided in Rodri's cross.

City finally began to look like themselves as they pinned Sevilla inside their own box for much of the final 20 minutes, but the Spanish side stood firm, with Bounou again saving from Ake, and Haaland seeing his only clear opening of the night charged down.

Haaland did find the net with the first penalty of the shootout - as did the next eight players to step up, meaning it was left to Gudelj to score and keep his side in the contest.

But the Serbia international struck the bar, meaning Sevilla have now lost in their last six Super Cup appearances, while City avoided a second successive shootout defeat following their loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield earlier this month.

Pep sets sights on Club World Cup

Guardiola is now targeting the Club World Cup in December after City's Athens success.

"Of course we are not in the best, best moment, I would say," Guardiola said after winning his fourth Super Cup as a coach. "But knowing a little bit the players and the mentality of the backroom staff, I had a feeling that we will try.

"We are really pleased to have already one title in this season. Really pleased for the club - this title we didn't have and now we have it.

"We miss just one to finish all circle and be able for this club to win all the titles we can have. It's happening in December, when we go to Saudi Arabia to play there, the (Club) World Cup.

"I would say really, really pleased. A tight game like happened in the (Champions League) final against Inter, a tight game that we lost against Arsenal (in the Community Shield). Football in these stages, in that moment, in that period is a coin (flip)."

Guardiola: Ederson saved us

Guardiola credited Ederson for keeping City in the game after the Brazilian followed up his impressive showing in last season's Champions League win over Inter Milan with another decisive performance in a final.

"We were lucky because Eddie, like in the final against Inter Milan, saved us in the right moments," said Guardiola. "I remember a lot of finals when the 'keeper was the key player.

"But in general, the game was really good. We played better in the last 30 minutes of the second half."

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Guardiola also praised Palmer's impact but admitted he is unsure if the winger will still be a City player by the time the transfer window closes on September 1.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen," said the City boss. "I don’t think a loan is going to happen. He’s going to stay or we’re going to sell, but a loan is not going to happen.

"It’s not easy to play against defenders like Acuna. He’s a young player and playing in a final is not easy. He played really good and scored a fantastic goal."

Palmer grasping City opportunity

Sky Sports football journalist Joe Shread:

Cole Palmer’s name has cropped up in recent weeks as a player that could be heading for the Etihad exit, but his start to the season will surely be shutting down that possibility.

The England U21 international has long been tipped as one of the next big things to emerge from the City academy but has struggled to work his way past the stars in City’s attack, while injuries also have not helped.

But circumstances now appear to be in Palmer’s favour, with the winger fit after a pre-season with the first team and clearly in form, as shown by his goal-scoring exploits in both finals City have played this month.

Also benefiting Palmer are the gaps created by Riyad Mahrez’s move to Saudi Arabia and Kevin De Bruyne’s injury, which could see Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden required to spend more time in midfield.

Pep Guardiola said before the game that Palmer has plenty of improvement still to make - but there is no better way to learn than by playing regularly under the manager that has brought so much success to the blue half of Manchester.

What's next?

Manchester City now switch their focus back to the Premier League, with Newcastle visiting the Etihad on Saturday - kick-off 8pm.

The Premier League champions then travel to newly-promoted Sheffield United on Sunday August 27, live on Sky Sports - kick-off 2pm.

Live Super Sunday

Sevilla's next match is in LaLiga when they take on Alaves on Monday - kick-off 6pm.

Opta stats: England's impressive Super Cup record

• Manchester City have become the sixth different English team to win the Super Cup - it's the most teams from a specific nation to lift the trophy (also Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest).
• Ten of the last 11 Super Cups have been won by the previous season's Champions League winner, with the Champions League holders also winning all four penalty shootouts in the competition.
• Each of the four penalty shootouts in the Super Cup has involved at least one English club - Bayern Munich beat Chelsea in 2013, Liverpool beat Chelsea in 2019, Chelsea beat Villarreal in 2021 and Man City beat Sevilla on Wednesday.
• Thirty-one per cent of Youssef En-Nesyri's goals for Sevilla in all competitions have been headers (17/55). Indeed, since his debut for the club in January 2020, he's scored more headed goals than any other LaLiga player.

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