UEFA Super Cup: Chelsea need penalties to beat Villarreal

European club champions Chelsea were excellent in their UEFA Super Cup encounter with Villarreal but had to wait for the lottery of penalties to win 6-5 at Windsor Park after a draining 120 minutes of football in Belfast. The Blues have now lifted the trophy twice in the history of the competition, having won it in 1998.

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel brought in goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with a minute left to play in the second half of extra time and the plan worked as he (Kepa) saved Villarreal captain Raul Albiol’s spot-kick to hand the Stamford Bridge outfit victory.

It was indeed a game of two halves for either side, the Blues having an excellent first-half performance and the Spaniards dominating the second period.

Hakim Ziyech gave Chelsea the lead midway through the opening 45 minutes before being forced off the game with a shoulder injury before half-time.

Villarreal, who hit the woodwork twice on either side of the break, got their equaliser through Gerard Moreno in the 73rd minute to force extra time.

Either side failed to find the net for a winner in extra but the record bears that Chelsea did come closest to a winner but neither Christian Pulisic nor Mason Mount could convert their clear chances.

It was the first time the Super Cup was played in Northern Ireland and the 13,000 spectators is the highest attendance at any sports event in the country since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world.