synopsis

In an electrifying UEFA Super Cup clash, Manchester City emerged victorious for the first time in the competition's history, securing a dramatic penalty shootout win against Sevilla.

Manchester City secured their inaugural UEFA Super Cup title by triumphing over Sevilla via a penalty shootout, with a final score of 5-4, following a 1-1 draw in regular time. This marked a significant achievement for Pep Guardiola's squad. In a scorching Athens atmosphere, Manchester City, who had recently suffered a penalty shootout loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield, initially struggled against Sevilla, the reigning Europa League champions. Youssef En-Nesyri managed to give Sevilla the lead, and despite some fortunate moments for City, they managed to equalise with a well-executed looping header by Cole Palmer. The 90-minute contest concluded in a 1-1 tie, prompting the need for a penalty shootout.

The penalty shootout was intense, with the first nine penalty takers from both teams converting their shots successfully. However, Nemanja Gudelj's shot hit the crossbar, ultimately leading to Manchester City's 5-4 victory in the shootout, securing the Super Cup win.

This achievement further solidified Pep Guardiola's status as a successful manager, as he became the first to win the Super Cup with three different teams. He also equaled Carlo Ancelotti's record of four Super Cup victories as a coach.

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Manchester City's victory made them the sixth English team to claim the UEFA Super Cup. Although Sevilla, led by Jose Luis Mendilibar, took an early lead through En-Nesyri's commanding first-half header, City's standout performer, Cole Palmer, managed to level the score with a header of his own. Despite a late surge by City, Sevilla managed to hold on, leading the match into extra time and eventually into a penalty shootout at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, with the clock striking midnight in Greece.