Liverpool Beat Chelsea On Penalties In European Super Cup

Liverpool edged out Chelsea on penalties after a long and wearying European Super Cup went all the way down to the wire in Istanbul.

Frank Lampard‘s Blues dominated the first half, eventually taking the lead through Olivier Giroud, their top scorer in the Europa League last season, when he found himself free in the box to shoot across goal and into the bottom corner, past stand-in keeper Adrian.

However, like against Manchester United on Sunday, they couldn’t quite make their first-half domination count as Pedro hit the woodwork and Christian Pulisic had a goal ruled out correctly after a narrow offside call.

They paid for that profligacy when Liverpool, coming out with renewed vigour with Roberto Firmino on for a subdued Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, equalised in opening minutes of the second half.

The Brazilian substitute ran onto a floated-in ball from Fabinho, and Sadio Mane was on hand to help his shot over the line.

Both sides had chances to go ahead in the second half, with Kepa Arrizabalaga making a remarkable double save to deny Liverpool, while Chelsea had another goal denied by the offside flag after Mason Mount struck past Adrian.

Firmino and Mane linked up well once again early on in extra time, carving open space in the Chelsea box with a neat one-two, finished off by the Senegalese for his second.

That lead only lasted five minutes though, as Adrian was adjudged to have caught Tammy Abraham. Jorginho stepped up coolly slot the resultant penalty past the Spanish goalkeeper.

Both sets of players visibly flagged on a hot and humid night in Turkey as the final whistle was blown.

In the shootout, Liverpool scored all five of their penalties, before Abraham struck Chelsea’s straight fifth at Adrian.