Match Report and Player Ratings: Manchester City 1-1 (5-4 Penalties) Sevilla (UEFA Super Cup)

Manchester City won the UEFA Super Cup 2023 after defeating Sevilla 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

This was the first time the Sky Blues competed in the UEFA Super Cup, having won their maiden Champions League trophy last season, as part of a famous treble-winning campaign.

They faced Europa League winners Sevilla, who took Manchester City to a penalty shoot-out at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens, Greece.

City started the match on a shaky note, as Manuel Akanji briefly struggled in defence. The Swiss defender lost the ball in midfield, gifting Sevilla a notable chance, but Erik Lamela fired his shot wide.

Cole Palmer kept Bono busy at the other end, with the City youngster and Kyle Walker testing the Sevilla goalkeeper with a series of early opportunities.

The Premier League side quickly took the lion’s share of possession but appeared restricted in attack, as Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol attempted to their luck from close range.

Sevilla successfully weathered the early storm and gradually grew into game, taking the lead against the run of play midway through the first-half.

Marcos Acuna’s perfectly placed cross met Youssef En-Nesyri inside the box, who beat Ake and Gvardiol in the air to head the ball past Ederson.

Pep Guardiola’s men strung together tidy passes to stretch out their opponents but either failed to move the ball forward or were wrestled out of spaces. The Premier League champions seemingly hit the rhythm quite late, playing their best football in the closing minutes of the first half.

City made no changes in the second half and were almost immediately punished for the same. En-Nesyri came close to scoring Sevilla’s second, but Ederson dropped low for an important save. Sometime later, the Brazilian goalkeeper also denied Joan Jordan’s shot on target from a free-kick.

A worrying spell saw City lose the ball multiple times within minutes but were rescued by Ederson, who firmly held his ground. A little over the hour mark, Rodri clipped the ball towards Erling Haaland, but it fell to Palmer, who headed it past Bono in the top corner for City’s equalizer.

The youngster received a standing ovation from City fans as he made way for Julian Alvarez. The match moved to penalties following a 1-1 draw – City’s second for the season.

City scored each penalty, with Haaland, Alvarez, Kovacic, Grealish, and Walker netting the ball from the spot. Seville scored their first four, but Nemanja Gudelj’s hit the crossbar, giving the English side their maiden UEFA Super Cup.

The win would come as a sign of relief for City after losing the season’s first penalty shootout against Arsenal in the FA Community Shield fixture. The Guardiola-led side will return to action this weekend against Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Here’s how the Manchester City players fared in a narrow European triumph and yet another historic evening for Guardiola and co –

Ederson – 8
Conceded a header from En-Nesyri but kept City in the game with brilliant saves for the rest of the match.

Kyle Walker – 6
Played a crucial role in keeping Ocampos linking up with En-Nesyri but had moments of defensive scares. Good pace against a frustratingly compact defense.

Manuel Akanji – 5
Lost the ball twice during a shaky start while attempting John Stones’ role. Briefly made decent runs in the midfield as the game progressed but appeared out of sync with players surrounding him during attacks.

Nathan Ake – 6
Lost against one of the best aerial attackers in football but gradually gained control in defense in harmony with Gvardiol.

Josok Gvardiol – 6
Played at left back and looked promising while working in sync with Rodri and Kovacic. Attempted long balls to Palmer and overlapped with Grealish but lacked the desired accuracy.

Rodri – 6
Assisted City’s equalizer but struggled with retaining possession. Signs of fatigue?!

Cole Palmer – 7
City’s biggest attacking threat in the first half forced Bono into making multiple saves and had the Sevilla goalkeeper visibly upset with his defenders. Scored the equalizer.

Mateo Kovacic – 7
Lost the ball a few times but did well in recovery and supported Rodri with defensive responsibilities. Improved ball progression in the game as he looks to settle better into the team.

Phil Foden – 6.5
Not at his best with the ball and was largely quiet off it. Played better after moving to the left following Alvarez’s substitution.

Jack Grealish – 6
Won fouls for City and attempted decent shots on target but didn’t put Bono to the test.

Haaland – 6
Oddly betrayed by poor first touches, failed to impact the game.

Substitutes:

Julian Alvarez: N/