Helsinki, August 11 (BNA): Champions League winners Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 to win the record-breaking fifth European Super Cup and start their season with the cup.
The first half goal from David Alaba and another goal from Karim Benzema in the 65th minute raised him to second place in the list of scorers in the history of Real Madrid with 324 goals, to conclude the title for the Spaniards, according to Reuters.
Europa League winners Eintracht offered some resistance in the first half and had chances to score but the Spaniards eventually overcame it.
The win also means that Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti has become the first coach to lift the trophy four times.
“Eintracht was very closed and we had a hard time finding our rhythm but we did it well at the time,” the Real Madrid coach said.
“It’s difficult at the beginning of the season to be at her best but we have won now to start the season well.”
The Italian, who was chosen by the same starting lineup that started to win the Champions League title in Paris in May, earned special tribute to captain Benzema, last season’s Champions League top scorer.
“He’s a very important player, and a team captain,” he said. “If we were here largely because of his merits, he scored a lot of goals, finished the season well, scored a goal today, and now he will get the Ballon d’Or,” Ancelotti said.
Eintracht battled the absence of playmaker Philippe Kostik who came close to a move to Juventus, but appeared more disciplined than his 6-1 loss to Bayern Munich last week in the opening match of the Bundesliga season.
They also took their first chance in the match when Daichi Kamada broke the ball but was unable to defeat Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a low shot in the 14th minute.
Real responded three minutes later, but Tota saved Vinicius Junior’s effort on the goal line. Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp did well in Vinicius Junior’s shot once again.
But the goalkeeper misjudged a cross in the 37th minute and was well out of position when Casemiro headed into Alaba and took advantage of the Austrian from close range to take the lead.
Real remained in control after the break, forcing another good save from Trapp in the 55th minute, and clearing a skewed shot from Vinicius Junior before Casemiro hit the crossbar with a shot from the edge of the penalty area two minutes later.
The pressure finally paid off when Vinicius Junior joined Benzema – the duo scored a total of 111 goals for the club last season – and the French striker took time to kill any lingering hopes of Eintracht for a first-ever Super Cup title.
The win brought a draw with Milan and Barcelona who also won the Super Cup five times.