Manchester City dominated the opening stages of the game but couldn’t find a way through Sevilla’s well-manned defence, with star man Erling Haaland hardly seeing the ball.
The Spanish side took the early advantage against the run of play, as Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri fired in a pinpoint header from a cross put in by Aston Villa target Marcos Acuna, jumping above Manchester City new-boy Josko Gvardiol to find the bottom corner.
Pep Guardiola’s side continued to have the lion’s share of possession, but couldn’t find a way through the middle of last season’s Europa League winners and, when forced wide, looked short on ideas.
Youssef En-Nesyri with a brilliant header into the bottom corner to give Sevilla the lead over Manchester City in the #UEFASuperCup final!pic.twitter.com/4I5cAjJX45
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) August 16, 2023
Manchester City were expected to re-assert their dominance as the second half began, but it was Sevilla who went closest in the opening minutes, with En-Nesyri having two excellent opportunities to double the Spanish side’s lead.
However, City’s quality came to the fore thanks to young winger Cole Palmer, who headed home on the hour mark and appeared his side’s biggest threat as the second half wore on.
COLE PALMER!! 🤩
The Man City youngster comes up with a huge goal for the Cityzens to equalise in the #SuperCup! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/HnM9VDc5lg
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 16, 2023
The treble winners pushed on, and began piling relentless pressure on Sevilla in search of a winner. However, the Andalusian outfit stood firm, thanks to great blocks from players across their entire backline, and leaving the game to be decided on penalties.
7 perfect kicks followed, before centre-back Nemanja Gudelj saw his penalty rebound off the crossbar to hand the Premier League champions Super Cup supremacy.
📰 Table Of Contents
Player ratings
Manchester City
- GK: Ederson (8) – Didn’t have much to do in the first half but made three big saves in the second with the score at 1-0.
- RB: Kyle Walker (5) – His pace continued to get him out of trouble
- CB: Manuel Akanji (4) – Really struggled in the role John Stones has excelled in, and it appeared to compromise his defensive work too.
- CB: Josko Gvardiol (5) – Was beaten in the air for the opening goal and is clearly still getting used to the Manchester City system.
- LB: Nathan Ake (5) – Looked all at sea at the start of the second half as Sevilla constantly created chances.
- CM: Rodri (7) – Continues to excel at the base of the Manchester City midfield.
- CM: Mateo Kovacic (6) – Tidy but lacked any real offensive spark for the Cityzens and still struggling to fill Ilkay Gundogan’s epic shadow in the Manchester City engine room.
- CM: Phil Foden (5) – Offered the opportunity to play centrally in De Bruyne’s absence but couldn’t really leave a mark on the game.
- RW: Cole Palmer (7) – Was very quiet for much of the piece but came up with an all-important equaliser on the hour mark before bursting into life.
- ST: Erling Haaland (5) – Hardly had a kick of the ball.
- LW: Jack Grealish (6) – Couldn’t have his usual impact and was rarely left 1vs1, meaning that often he elected to pass the ball on rather than drive towards goal.
Substitutes
- Julian Alvarez (N/A) – On for the final 5 minutes
Sevilla
- GK: Bono (8) – Made a couple of excellent saves in the first half to keep his side’s lead. Could do nothing about the equaliser
- RB: Jesus Navas (8) – Was excellent and helped his centre-back no end in the first half. Made one goal-saving clearance in the second.
- CB: Loic Bade (7) – Dealt with Haaland well aside from one brain-fade. Astonishing that he never got a game for Nottingham Forest last season.
- CB: Nemanja Gudelj (8) – Continues to prove solid in his newfound position and hardly put a foot wrong, making several key headers.
- LB: Marcos Acuna (6) – Impressive cross to find the head of En-Nesyri for the opening goal, but struggled in the second half against an energised Cole Palmer and lost him at the back post for the equaliser.
- CM: Joan Jordan (7) – Kept Sevilla’s shape well and snapped into tackles, breaking up the play well.
- CM: Ivan Rakitic (7) – Tidy and hardworking in the Sevilla engine room.
- CM: Oliver Torres (6) – Tidy in the first half but faded in the second as the game became more end-to-end and was taken off with 20 minutes to play.
- RW: Luis Ocampos (8) – Solid in the first half but really burst into life in an attacking sense early in the second. Helped Acuna plenty defensively too.
- ST: Youssef En-Nesyri (7) – All action especially in the second half, and found the back of the net with an excellent header. Missed three great chances to put the game to bed though.
- LW: Erik Lamela (6) – Worked hard but didn’t really have too much of an impact and picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on Gvardiol.
Substitutes
- Juanlu (6) – Came on but had little impact on the game.
- Gonzalo Montiel (6) – Introduced in place of the impressive Navas and didn’t put a foot wrong.
- Rafa Mir (N/A) – Came on in added time.
- Suso (N/A) – Came on in added time.
Expert analysis
What a player Rodri has become
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) August 16, 2023
Sevilla are currently doing something that no Premier League team (or Real Madrid or Bayern Munich) was capable of last season: making Man City look very ordinary and vulnerable.
— Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) August 16, 2023
Top header, Palmer deserves that. Been one of the only bright sparks all night. Surely there’s a way of giving him the regular minutes he wants…
— Jack Gaughan (@Jack_Gaughan) August 16, 2023
4 – All four of the UEFA Super Cup matches to go to penalties have involved an English club, with each of the previous three being won by the previous season’s Champions League winner (Bayern v Chelsea 2013, Liverpool v Chelsea 2019, Chelsea v Villarreal 2021). Lottery. #MCISEV
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 16, 2023
FT: Man City 1-1 Sevilla
Shots: 23-8
Shots on target: 2-4
Possession: 74%-26%
Passes completed: 592-180
Corners: 8-0We head to penalties.#UEFASuperCup
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) August 16, 2023
Fan Reaction
There may be holes in his game but En-Nesyri is legit one of the best attacking headers of the ball anywhere, no question
— Andy Brassell (@andybrassell) August 16, 2023
Ocampos has lost about 5 inches in height with this new hair
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) August 16, 2023
