Late Sub Kepa helps Chelsea win UEFA Super Cup on Penalties. Captain Raul Albiol’s penalty attempt was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga, the Blues’ substitute goalkeeper, at Windsor Park.
It took Hakim Ziyech 45 minutes to score before he was pulled off with what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury.
Before Gerard Moreno equalized in the 73rd minute to force extra time, the Spaniards struck the woodwork twice in the first half.
It was only a few minutes before extra time ended that Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel called Kepa on from the bench for his second save in the shootout, having earlier denied Aissa Mandi. The Chelsea players and fans erupted in joy when Kepa saved Albiol’s penalty.
It took Kai Havertz until the 27th minute to provide a perfect pull-back for Ziyech to score, despite the fact that he did not obtain a clean connection.
Gerard Moreno fed Boulaye Dia, who flicked the ball back to the Spaniard for Villarreal’s equalizer.
In first-half injury time, Alberto Moreno hit a volley off the underside of the crossbar, and Mendy had dived wonderfully to tip a Gerard Moreno effort onto the post after the keeper had first given the ball away, but the equalizer never materialized.
For the first 40 minutes, Chelsea had Villarreal in their sights and didn’t allow them to have a sniff of optimism until right before the interval.
Mateo Kovacic’s diagonal passes to Callum Hudson-Odoi on the right were particularly incisive, as were N’Golo Kante’s and Mateo Kante’s styles in midfield.
Asenjo denied Timo Werner’s close-range volley in the sixth minute, while Kante’s 20-yard blast went wide, and Zouma’s volley went over the bar in the 79th minute.
During the last few minutes of the first half, Ziyech collided with Juan Foyth and fell down, needing oxygen treatment and having his right shoulder supported.
To their credit, Villarreal capitalized on Tuchel’s mistakes in the second half and gave their fans something to cheer about in their maiden appearance in the Super Cup.
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