CHELSEA WINS EUROPEAN SUPER CUP
■ English Premier League side Chelsea started the new season on a high note and Kepa Arrizabalaga was the hero as they beat Spanish club Villarreal 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to lift the UEFA Super Cup in Belfast.
Goals from Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) at 27th-minute and Gerard Moreno(Villarreal) at 73rd minute were not enough to decide the game as it moved to penalties.
Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel took a decisive tactics as he made an inspired decision to swap starting goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy for second choice Kepa Arrizabalaga.
And it proved to be a stroke of genius with the 26-year-old Kepa essentially winning the trophy for Chelsea by way of making crucial saves from Aissa Mandi and Raul Albiol.
The UEFA Super Cup is a pre-season match between winners of last season’s Champions League and Europa League.
Chelsea will open their English Premier League season against Crystal Palace at home on Sunday while Villarreal will begin their La Liga account on Monday against Granada.
MATCH FACTS
Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Mendy (Arrizabalga, 119″); Chalobah, Zouma (Christensen, 66″), Rudiger; Hudon-Odoi (Azpilicueta, 82″), Kante (Jorginho 65′), Kovacic, Alonso; Havertz, Ziyech (Pulisic, 43′); Werner (Mount 65′)
Subs not used: Abraham, Chilwell, Emerson, James, Loftu-Cheek, Silva
Goals: Ziyech (27′)
Booked: Rudiger, Tuchel, Arrizabalaga
Manager: Thomas Tuchel
Villarreal (4-3-3): Asenjo; Pedraz (Estupinan, 58′), Torres, Albiol, Foyth; A. Moreno (Morlanes, 85′), Capoue (Gaspar, 70′), Trigueros (Gomez, 70′); Dia (Raba, 86′), Pino (Mandi, 91′), G.Moreno
Subs not used: Alcacer, Cuenca, Iborra, Nino, Pena, Rulli
Goals: G.Moreno(73′)
Booked: Pino
Manager: Unai Emery
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