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2021 UEFA Super Cup: Spot-on Chelsea sink Villarreal

Chelsea won a marathon penalty shoot-out to edge out Villarreal and claim their second UEFA Super Cup.

Highlights: Chelsea 1-1 Villarreal (6-5 pens)

Chelsea 1-1 Villarreal (aet, Chelsea won 6-5 on pens)
(Ziyech 27; Gerard Moreno 73)

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga came off the bench and saved two penalties in the shoot-out as Chelsea lifted the trophy for the first time since 1998.

Chelsea vs Villarreal: As it happened, reaction

The Blues had dispatched Spanish outfits Atlético and Real Madrid on their way to UEFA Champions League glory and they maintained their momentum in the first half of this Belfast showpiece, with Timo Werner and N'Golo Kanté both close to a breakthrough before Hakim Ziyech swept in Kai Havertz's cross to give Thomas Tuchel's side a 27th-minute lead.

Chelsea vs Villarreal: The full shoot-out

The Yellow Submarine had offered little to that point, but the opening goal jolted them into action and Alberto Moreno served notice of what was to come after the interval by clattering the bar on the stroke of half-time.

Unai Emery's charges, who had seen off English clubs Arsenal and Manchester United in their final two UEFA Europa League assignments, proved to be a different proposition after the break. And their efforts paid off when Boulaye Dia's clever pass allowed Gerard Moreno to force extra time.

Watch Chelsea dressing room celebrations

Chelsea looked the more likely in the additional 30 minutes, but it was on spot kicks that they finally secured the silverware, Tuchel having sent on Kepa for Edouard Mendy in the closing stages of extra time. The substitute keeper denied Aïssa Mandi to cancel out Havertz's earlier failure, then made the decisive intervention from Raúl Albiol's effort – the 14th penalty of an epic shoot-out.

The fact this decider went all the way before Chelsea emerged triumphant was hardly a surprise based on recent history: the London side's victory was the eighth in the last nine UEFA Super Cups for the Champions League holders, with seven of those nine contests going to extra time or beyond.