Football
Real Madrid clinch fifth UEFA Super Cup title after defeating Eintracht Frankfurt by 2-0
Real Madrid were crowned champions for a record-equalling fifth time.
Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 on Wednesday. Thus, they now have their hands on the UEFA Super Cup for a record-equalling fifth time and kick off their season with a trophy. A brilliant goal from David Alaba in the first half, followed by another from Karim Benzema in the 65th minute, helped the Spanish club clinch the title. The Goal from Benzema also lifted him to second in Madrid’s all-time scoring list with 324 goals.
The champions of the Europa League Eintracht had offered some resistance in the first half and created some chances to score but were eventually outdone by the Spaniards. The win also means Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti becomes the first coach to lift the trophy four times.
“Eintracht were very closed and we found it difficult to find our rhythm, but we did it well then,” the Madrid coach said. “It’s difficult at the beginning of the season to be in top form but we now have won to start the season well,” he added.
Ancelotti fielded the same starting 11 that began their winning Champions League final in Paris in May. He showered praise on captain Benzema who was also last season’s top scorer in the Champions League. “He’s a very important player, a team leader,” he said. “If we’re here it’s largely due to his merits, he scored a lot of goals, he finished the season well, he scored a goal today and now he’s going for the Ballon d’Or award,” said Ancelotti.
Eintracht were without playmaker Filip Kostic who is close to a move to Juventus, but looked more disciplined than in their 6-1 loss to Bayern Munich last week in their Bundesliga season opener. They also carved out the first chance of the game when Daichi Kamada broke clear but could not beat Real keeper Thibaut Courtois with his low drive in the 14th minute.
Real responded three minutes later but Vinicius Jr’s effort was cleared on the line by Tuta. Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp did well to palm another Vinicius Jr effort wide. The keeper, however, misjudged a cross in the 37th and was well out of position when Casemiro headed on for Alaba and the Austrian tapped in from close range for the lead.
Real stayed in control after the break, forcing another good save from Trapp in the 55th, knocking away a deflected Vinicius Jr shot before Casemiro rattled the crossbar with a shot from the edge of the box two minutes later.
The pressure eventually paid off when Vinicius Jr combined with Benzema — the pair scored a combined 111 club goals last season — and the French forward slotted in to kill off any lingering Eintracht hopes of a first ever Super Cup title. The win brought Real level with AC Milan and Barcelona who have also five Super Cup wins.