[SPORT] Liverpool 2-2 Chelsea (aet, 5-4 on penalties): Adrian the UEFA Super Cup hero
Adrian saved from Tammy Abraham as Liverpool beat Chelsea 5-4 on penalties to win the first all-English UEFA Super Cup following a 2-2 draw in Istanbul.
Olivier Giroud gave Frank Lampard’s side a deserved first-half lead on Wednesday, but the introduction of Roberto Firmino as a half-time substitute changed the game for the Reds.
Firmino quickly set up Mane for the equaliser and, in the first period of extra time, the Senegal star smashed home from his team-mate’s pass again before Jorginho equalised from the penalty spot.
But it was the European champions who triumphed in the shoot-out, Alisson’s deputy Adrian denying Abraham with his right leg to secure victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
The Blues had been on top for large periods of an engrossing contest after Europa League final hero Kepa Arrizabalaga saved from Mohamed Salah early on, Pedro thudding a drive against the crossbar with full debutant Adrian then doing well to keep out Mateo Kovacic.
Chelsea took a deserved lead in the 36th minute, Christian Pulisic’s ball finding Giroud’s clever run beyond the back line with the France forward slotting home past Adrian.
Pulisic thought he had added a second when he cut in off the left wing to fire into the bottom-left corner, but a belated offside flag halted his celebrations, allowing Liverpool to draw level three minutes after the interval.
Substitute Firmino created the equaliser, bringing down Fabinho’s lofted pass and nudging an unselfish sideways pass to Mane, who beat Kepa at the second attempt.
Chelsea were grateful to Kepa for a remarkable double save with 15 minutes of normal time to go, the goalkeeper pushing away Salah’s deflected drive before then reacting sharply to turn Virgil van Dijk’s rebound effort on to the woodwork.
A marginal offside flag denied Chelsea a second time, Mason Mount seeing his strike ruled out, and in extra time Firmino and Mane combined again to make it 2-1. Chelsea hit back from the spot, though, Adrian bringing down Abraham to allow Jorginho to roll home the penalty.
But, after Liverpool coolly converted all five of their kicks, Abraham was the first to miss, Klopp running on the pitch to celebrate the Reds’ second European trophy of 2019.
