2013 Super Cup: Neuer puts an end to Chelsea hopes
Friday, August 30, 2013
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Chelsea were UEFA Super Cup losers for a second season in succession though it took a penalty shoot-out for Bayern München to kill off José Mourinho's ten-man side.
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Bayern 2-2 Chelsea (aet, Bayern win 5-4 on pens)
(Ribéry 47, Javi Martínez 120+1; Torres 8, Hazard 93)
Bayern won the first UEFA Super Cup to be held outside of Monaco in 15 years with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea following a 2-2 draw at Prague's Stadion Eden.
In a repeat of the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, Bayern once more bossed possession, but this time it was the Blues who opened the scoring through Fernando Torres, before 2013 UEFA Best Player in Europe Franck Ribéry levelled proceedings early in the second half. Ramires' 85th-minute red card gave Bayern the numerical advantage for extra time, but after Eden Hazard restored Chelsea's lead it took a last-gasp Javi Martínez strike to take the encounter to penalties. There, Manuel Neuer saved the decisive kick from Romelu Lukaku to ensure Josep Guardiola collected the trophy for a third time as coach.
"I am really over the moon because tonight we played 120 minutes and went through a penalty shoot-out," said Ribéry. "It's important for Guardiola to win. We won everything last year and it's not easy for him to follow in those footsteps. The whole team feels pressure but it's even more difficult for the coach. This helps us and gives us the necessary impetus."
"They take the cup and the best team lost," shrugged Mourinho. "Even with ten men we played fantastically. Pride is OK but we lost."