Champions League holders Manchester City overcame Sevilla on penalties in Athens on Wednesday evening to win the 2023 UEFA Super Cup for the first time in their history.
Sevilla, who won the Europa League for the seventh time last season, took the lead in the 25th minute of the contest through Youssef En-Nesyri.
Cole Palmer levelled the scores in the 63rd minute of the contest, though, and that was how it finished in normal time, with penalties needed to decide the winner.
Erling Haaland, who found it difficult to make his mark in normal time, scored in the shootout alongside teammates Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker.
Sevilla were successful with their first four penalties, with Lucas Ocampos, Rafa Mir, Ivan Rakitic and Gonzalo Montiel on the scoresheet, but Nemanja Gudelj missed the vital spot kick at 5-4 to allow Pep Guardiola's side to secure the trophy on penalties.
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En-Nesyri climbed highest inside the Man City box to make the breakthrough in the 25th minute, with the Morocco international heading a cross from Marcos Acuna into the back of the net.
Man City, missing the injured Kevin De Bruyne, found it difficult to work their way into the match in the first period, with Nathan Ake being denied by Sevilla stopper Bono in their best chance, while there should have been a taker on a dangerous Phil Foden cross into the box late in the half.
En-Nesyri was denied by Ederson as he went in search of a second early in the second period, but Man City managed to level just past the hour through Palmer, who headed a deep Rodri cross into the back of the net.
The Citizens were clearly the side pushing for a winner in Athens, with Palmer impressing alongside Foden, and Sevilla's most difficult spell of the contest came in the final 10 minutes, as the Spanish outfit desperately looked to take the contest to a shootout.
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Ake had a header denied by Bono in the final exchanges, with the contest heading for a penalty shootout, and it was Gudelj's miss that decided the match, as he crashed his effort off the crossbar.
Man City missed the chance to lift the Community Shield earlier this month, losing to Arsenal, but they have now secured their first trophy of the campaign, winning the competition for the first time.
Guardiola's side will now be bidding to make it back-to-back wins at the start of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign when they host Newcastle United on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Sevilla will be aiming to bounce back from their opening-night loss to Valencia when they continue their La Liga season away to Alaves on August 21.
Matt Law
