In Belfast Kepa’s save against Albiol in the eleven-meter series after the 1-1 on the pitch was decisive
Chelsea conquered the European Super Cup 2021 beating Villarreal 7-6 on penalties. At Windsor Park in Belfast, 1-1 in regulation time with Chelsea leading on 27 with the goal of Ziyech but reached at 73 ‘from Gerard Moreno after a crossbar and a post hit by Villarreal. In extra time nothing has changed, while in the series from the spot it was decisive Kepa with two saves, the last on Albiol.
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THE TABLE
The sky is getting bluer around Europe and football 2021 continues to have this solid color. After the triumph of Chelsea in the Champions League and that of Italy at Euro 2020, also the European Super Cup ended up in the hands of Tuchel’s Blues who had the best of Villarreal only on penalties after the 1-1 in the 120 minutes of battle in Belfast. Kepa was decisive, the all-in move by the German coach who decided to send him on the field in the 119th minute precisely to be decisive in the eleven-meter series. His saves on Mandi and Albiol gave Chelsea the 31st trophy in their history after a dominated first half and a second half of the race totally in apnea.
Yes, because even with a trophy up for grabs, after an exhausting season like the 2020/21 one with a lot of European and Olympics in the summer, the Belfast challenge was strongly characterized by the typical features of August football, with players not eligible because in late condition, fatigued or otherwise not at best. The result was a challenge from different faces with a totally Chelsea-branded first half that brought Tuchel’s team to the well-deserved advantage in the 27th minute with Ziyech, good at taking advantage of Havertz’s assist on Alonso’s deep serve. The continuous search for depth and a great pressure with six balls recovered high before the interval, however, made the Londoners turn on the reserve light very early that the first alarm bell was heard at 33 ‘with the parade of Mendy in low output on Dia and then with the sensational cross on the fly by Alberto Moreno.
Bells became incessant sirens after the interval when Gerard Moreno took over Villarreal technically also exploiting the mistakes of the Chelsea defenders. After a wrong postponement from Mendy, the attacker hit the post, with the prompt redemption of the decisive goalkeeper with the deviation. The draw, however, came in the 73rd minute with a combination of the same in the area Gerard with Dia after yet another ball lost by Rudiger and recovered from the heel by Gaspar.
In extra time the two teams tried without too much conviction between one change and another, leaving the famous lottery from the spot to decide the fate of the trophy. The joker was caught by Tuchel sending Kepa into the field at the last second, a decisive result with two penalties saved in the series that ended indefinitely (Mandi on the second shot and Albiol on the seventh).
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THE TABLE
CHELSEA-VILLARREAL 7-6 dcr (1-1)
Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Mendy 6 (14 ‘sts Kepa 6.5); Zouma 5.5 (20th ‘Christensen 6), Chalobah 5.5, Rudiger 5; Hudson Odoi 5.5 (37 ‘st Azpilicueta 6), Kanté 6.5 (20’ st Jorginho 5.5), Kovacic 5, Alonso 6; Ziyech 6.5 (43 ‘Pulisic 6), Havertz 6; Werner 5 (20th Mount 5.5). A disp .: Chilwell, Emerson, James, Thiago Silva, Loftus-Cheek, Abraham. All .: Tuchel 5.5.
Villarreal (4-3-3): Asenjo 6.5; Foyth 6.5, Albiol 6.5, Torres 6, Pedraza 5.5 (13 ‘st Estupinan 6); Trigueros 6.5 (25 ‘st Gomez 6), Capoue 6 (25’ st Gaspar 6.5), Moreno 6.5 (40 ‘st Morlanes 6); Pino 5.5 (1 ‘pts Mandi 6), Gerard Moreno 7, Dia 6.5 (40’ st Raba 6). Available: Rulli, Alcacer, Iborra, Cuenca, Pena, Nino. All .: Emery 6.5.
Referee: Karasev (Russia)
Markers: 27 ‘Ziyech (C), 28’ st Gerard Moreno (F)
Ammonites: Rudiger, Kepa (C); Pino, Raba (V) PALONCHA (M)
Expelled: nobody
Series of Penalties
Chelsea: Havertz parato, Azpilicueta goals, Alonso goals, Mount goals, Jorginho goals, Pulisic goals, Rudiger goals
Villarreal: Gerard Moreno goals, Mandi parato, Estupinan goals, Gomez goals, Raba goals, Foyth goals, Albiol parato
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